When Steve Clifford’s final home game as the Charlotte Hornets’ coach was over Tuesday, after the video tributes and the unsuccessful coaching challenge and the 26-point loss, he first shook hands with Dallas head coach Jason Kidd.
Then Clifford simply walked off the floor.
Purposeful. Eyes straight ahead. No hugs. No hanging out. No applause, really — people hardly noticed. He walked off that court in a hurry, despite having nowhere much to go.
That was vintage Clifford, though. He’s old-school like that, a basketball lifer who is most alive when he’s in the middle of either coaching a game or preparing to coach a game.