MIAMI — Pat Riley played alongside Jerry West and Gail Goodrich, the guards whose exploits from the early 1970s still have the Miami Heat president saying they were the best backcourt he ever saw.
His rankings might be changing.
From Riley, these are ultimate compliments — comparing anyone to West and Goodrich, or one team to that 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers team that won 33 consecutive games and rolled to the NBA championship. But that's the level of the praise he's doling out these days to Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and the rolling Golden State Warriors.
"They are the two most dynamic players in the backcourt, that I have ever seen, since Jerry West and Gail Goodrich," Riley said.