Getty Steve Young walks besides Jerry Rice before the January 2020 NFC title game at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara.
By the time a vicious 3-pointer, authored by Stephen Curry, fell and helped seal the fate of the Dallas Mavericks during Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, the 19-point deficit the Golden State Warriors experienced during the first half of their 126-117 win was reduced to a mere memory for those on their feet inside Chase Center on Friday, May 21.
The thriller of a game ended up being further proof that the Warriors championship legacy, consisting of Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, mirrors another Bay Area dynasty — one that’s composed of San Francisco 49ers royalty.
At least according to Ronnie Lott, an iconic former safety for the ‘Niners.
“As Much as I Love Football, I Love Basketball More”
Lott, who played for San Francisco from 1981 to 1990, popped in to visit the Warriors Pregame Live group on NBC Sports Bay Area prior to Game 1 on Wednesday, May 18, and discuss the legacy of this current Dubs team.
“You think about what they’ve done, all of us would be able to say to ourselves how lucky, how grateful we are to see them do what they’ve been able to do,” Lott said. “As much as I love football, I love basketball even more.
“There’s a different sacrifice, there’s something that’s even greater than football — football is great, by the way — but it’s not basketball. There is something that you are able to do with five guys that’s harder to do when you are doing what you need to do with 11 guys. With 11 guys, I can do a lot of different things but five guys? Especially these three (Curry, Thompson and Green).”
The Warriors took a commanding 1-0 lead after annihilating Luka Doncic and the Mavericks 112-87, with Curry leading the way with 21 points.
“When you think about these three, these three have been able to do some amazing things. They’re up there in the rafters with some amazing people.”
“The Greatness That No One Ever Talks About”
While the Warriors’ talent certainly plays a massive role in their wins thus far, it’s their lack of selfishness on the court when it comes to incorporating their teammates that was further discussed with Lott and the NBC crew. The Hall of Famer then compared their selflessness with 49ers legends Jerry Rice and Steve Young.
“To me, that’s the greatness that no one ever talks about. What made the ‘Niners great is when you think about guys like Jerry and you think about guys like (Joe) Montana, or you think about guys like Steve Young who came late — all of those guys found a way to lift others up,” Lott said.
While Curry finished with 32 points during Game 2, other teammates like Kevon Looney, who earned chants of “MVP” after a fueling a third-quarter comeback, and Jordan Poole, who kept attacking the rim, have been basking in the spotlight, adding more life to Lott’s words.
“And when you lift people up, and you find a way that it’s not about you but it’s about them, that’s the greatness of the sport,” Lott said. “That’s the greatness of everything we do in life.”