Warriors notes: Another assistant coach up for NBA head coaching gig
Kenny Atkinson, who joined Warriors last offseason, is reportedly
finalist for Hornets set for Michael Jordan interview
>SAN FRANCISCO, CA – FEBRUARY 16: Golden State Warriors coaching staff
Bruce Fraser, left, Kenny Atkinson, head coach Steve Kerr and Mike Brown
watch the game against the Denver Nuggets in the fourth quarter of their
NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb.
16, 2022. The Warriors lost on a buzzer-beater by Denver Nuggets’ Monte
Morris (11) (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CA – FEBRUARY 16: Golden State Warriors coaching staff
Bruce Fraser, left, Kenny Atkinson, head coach Steve Kerr and Mike Brown
watch the game against the Denver Nuggets in the fourth quarter of their
NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Wednesday, Feb.
16, 2022. The Warriors lost on a buzzer-beater by Denver Nuggets’ Monte
Morris (11) (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News Group)
By MICHAEL NOWELS | mnowels@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: June 6, 2022 at 1:57 p.m. | UPDATED: June 6, 2022 at 2:52 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/06/06/warriors-notes-another-assistant-coach-up-for-nba-head-coaching-gig/

Mike Brown might not be the only Warriors assistant coach on his final
ride with Golden State.

Kenny Atkinson, who joined Steve Kerr’s coaching staff last offseason,
is a finalist for the Charlotte Hornets’ head coaching gig, according to
reports in recent days from The Athletic and ESPN.

He’s set for an interview with Hornets owner Michael Jordan this week
between NBA Finals games, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported. Ex-Suns
and Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni is also reportedly interviewing.

Atkinson, who turned 55 last week, became known around the NBA as a
strong developmental mind in his first head coaching stint, when he
helped guide the Brooklyn Nets from the basement of the Eastern
Conference in 2016 to a playoff appearance in 2019 without much in the
way of draft picks.

He was fired from the Nets job midway through the team’s first season
with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving as Brooklyn transformed from a
developmental franchise into a star-run team.

Atkinson spent one season with the LA Clippers before Kerr brought him
aboard last summer, seeking new perspectives to push the Warriors forward.

“I’ve always been kind of an out-of-the-box thinker, not afraid of
engaging,” Atkinson told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole earlier this
season in describing his role and connection with Kerr.

The Kings reportedly had an interest in Atkinson before hiring Brown
last month, and the Lakers also interviewed him before they announced
former Milwaukee assistant Darvin Ham as their next coach last week.

DRAYMOND TOP-10 FINALS HELPER

Draymond Green moved into the top 10 in all-time NBA Finals assists
Sunday night as he racked up seven of them in the Dubs’ Game 2 win.

“Not half bad for a guy who can’t pass,” Green tweeted Monday, sparking
the question of who ever accused him of being unable to pass.

Well, Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma didn’t exactly make that strong an
assertion, but he did imply Green’s passing wasn’t all it’s cracked up
to be: “Listen bro I can (hand the ball) to Steph as well🤣🤣🤣
congrats!!!!”

BACK IN THE MIX

The Warriors became betting underdogs after the Celtics blew them off
the court in the fourth quarter of Game 1, but now they’re back to even
in the oddsmakers’ minds.

VegasInsider.com has the Warriors listed at -112 to win the series, and
the Celtics are at -109, implying a very slight preference for Golden
State, though bettors are paying a premium to place money on either team.

Steph Curry also retook the lead in the odds for Finals MVP. He is now
the frontrunner at +135. Boston’s Jayson Tatum is now +180, with no
other players better than +750 (Jaylen Brown). Tatum scored better in
Game 2 (28 points on 8-of-19 shooting) but was an astonishing minus-36
in 34 minutes.

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TOO MUCH ON STEPH?

Stephen A. Smith said Monday morning on First Take that despite the Game
2 win, he thinks the Warriors are asking too much of Steph Curry
offensively.

“It can’t be Steph Curry and such a huge discrepancy between Curry and
the rest of the guys on the offensive end of the floor in order to win
this series,” Smith said after specifying that he had picked the
Warriors to win the Finals. “I think you’re gonna need at least one
other individual to step up in order to win four games in this
particular series.”

He highlighted Jordan Poole and Klay Thompson as players who could step
up to help Curry. Poole flashed just before halftime Sunday night and
finished with 17 points after struggling mightily in Game 1. Thompson
struggled to find any rhythm shooting in Game 2, shooting 4-of-19 in the
win.

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Michael Nowels | Digital Sports Strategist
Mike covers sports.