The Thunder are following in the footsteps of the 2016 Warriors and their 73 wins

The winning record of the Warriors (73-9) was the talk of the town last night Thunder is coming to the Chase Center. Because Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s teammates in the 2016 Warriors’ passing seasons.

Ten years ago, the Warriors started the season with 24 straight wins after winning the first title of the Curry era. After the win at Golden State, Oklahoma City has a 21-1 record, five months after winning the franchise’s first title.

Steve Kerr isn’t surprised to see the Thunder’s current level. Between their youth and the confidence gained from a championship, they are perfectly positioned to build on a reinforced concrete foundation.

“Now that they’ve won it, they have a much higher level of confidence. The continuity of their workforce is also key.”the Warriors coach explained. “They’re even more comfortable with all their offensive systems. They’ve diversified the game a bit, added moves. After the title, all the planets are aligned if you keep the same team. You have a different attitude, different confidence, you know how to win. The third year, however, is the most difficult. »

Intelligence before talent

Steve Kerr, who was part of the Bulls’ 72-game winning streak in 1996 and who coached the Warriors a decade ago, knows better than anyone what it takes for a team to reach the mythical 70-win mark, or even surpass it.

“No personal agenda. Anger to play for the team and win every night. Obviously you have to have talented players, but more than that you have to have intelligent players, he describes. If you look at the Bulls and our team, they are two examples of a collection of smart players, but also a smart team. And that’s what I see with OKC. They have players with a great basketball IQ, a great coach, and everyone is on the same wavelength. Their start to the season has been outstanding and they are on course to break our record. »

Despite their youth, the Thunder players have a maturity that allows them to approach this challenge with the right mentality. Some teams may be resting on their laurels or lacking discipline during the marathon regular season. This is not a problem for Oklahoma City.

How to resist the pressure?

Since last season, Marc Daigneault has reiterated that his players have internalized the need to stay focused on the next game and even lose themselves in the challenge presented to his team each night.

“Our record is meaningless when played in between. Everything we have done so far does not guarantee us victory in the next match. The next game is simply another opportunity and the better team will win in the end.”he explained before the match against the Warriors. “This challenge, this competition, that’s what motivates our players. They can’t wait to fight, they want to play. Regardless of the opponent, regardless of the day, they’re always ready to accept this challenge, and I think that’s what allows us to be so effective and consistent.”

The more wins that follow, the more attention will be paid to the Thunder. To keep this from being a distraction, Mark Degneault does his best to create a simple environment.

“Getting lost in the opportunity that each match presents helps a lot to block out all the noise, all the side effects that come with our success, he confirms. I’m not trying to predict problems that aren’t there, or make assumptions about our situation. I follow the pulse of the team and so far, they know how to stay focused on the opportunity presented to them every day. »

Kerr-Daigneault line

The coach also explains that Steve Kerr has been one of his advisors since the beginning of his career. “He was always at my disposal for a long time and I am extremely grateful to him for that.”

Now that the roles have been reversed and the Thunder coach finds himself in the same situation as Steve Kerr a decade ago, he said he’s also studied the way Coach Bay managed to get his group quintessential.

“He’s done an amazing job all these years of building up the strength of his teams and making you play the way he wants you to play. Secondly, he doesn’t try to change the personality of his groups or his players, he accepts them as they are. They have a lot of players with strong personalities and instead of trying to hold them back, he gives them the freedom to be themselves and still be part of the group he explains.

“In a way, he’s created a model for our profession to follow on how to deal with situations like this. And I draw inspiration from that in the way I coach our team. That’s really something I’ve learned from watching him from afar.”concludes Marc Daigneault.

An intelligent coach, a transcendent star, a workforce in their prime and this endless thirst for victory: this Thunder has all the attributes to follow in the footsteps of the Warriors who dominated the NBA for eight years.

Comments collected in San Francisco.