Three Warriors walk into a bar.
Bartender says, “We’re going to need bigger tumblers.”
At least according to nbcsportsbayarea.com’s Logan Murdoch.
Per Yahoo!: Murdoch is publishing an oral history of the “We Believe” Warriors, who rocked the NBA’s world in 2007 with their stunning playoff upset of the Dallas Mavericks. Part of that narrative involves an outing convened by coach Don Nelson with two of his players that was equal parts spirits and shuffleboard.
Assuming Murdoch isn’t pulling our chain — and why would he? — the beginning of that season was almost as beguiling as the end.
We pick up the action shortly after Stephen Jackson arrives in Oakland via a midseason trade from the Indiana Pacers. Jax gets a message from Nelson, his new coach. So does Baron Davis, then in his third season with the Dubs. Next thing you know, Nelson (6-foot-6), Jackson (6-foot-8) and Davis (6-foot-3) are strolling through the door of Smitty’s Cocktails, an establishment described by visitoakland.com thusly: “neighborhood dive bar with a shuffleboard and a pool table. They’re cash only but there’s an ATM!”
Not only that, but a Yelp reviewer gave Smitty’s the A-OK for its human touch. “Once I saw a guy completely drunk off his (hindquarters) in front of smitty’s, and (bartender) marcello was making sure he was okay and called a cab for the guy.”
But we digress.
What went on between Nellie, Boom Dizzle and Stack Jack that night in 2007 was the rollout of a counter-intuitive brainstorm that would send shudders throughout the NBA.
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Once again, cue Yahoo!: “We played shuffleboard and drunk Scotch for hours,” Jackson said. For the rest of the night Nelson, Jackson and Davis talked strategy and life before the coach made a declaration.
“Nellie tells me and BD while we’re drunk: ‘You guys are going to be my captains. You run this team and we’re going to have fun.'”
Whatever the inspiration, Nelson’s knighting of Jackson and Davis, two strong personalities that often followed the beat of a different drummer, was an idea just crazy enough to work.
