OAKLAND — Warriors coach Steve Kerr has a first-hand sense of how much the Trail Blazers’ appearance in the Western Conference finals means to fans in Portland.
Kerr spent the 14th of his 15 years as an NBA player with the Trail Blazers, averaging 4.1 points during the 2001-02 campaign.
He wasn’t playing alongside Michael Jordan in Chicago or learning his future trade from Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, as he did earlier in his career. But the experience left its mark.
“It’s just an absolutely beautiful place,” Kerr said before Game 1 at Oracle Arena.