Things don’t look good for Mark Jackson in The Bay, this after a tumultuous season that ended in heartbreak against the LA Clippers in a hard-fought, seven game Playoff series. For what it’s worth, Golden State Warriors All-Star guard Stephen Curry strongly supports Jackson despite rumors that he’ll be canned this summer. Per the Mercury News:
Q: TV picked up a timeout when Mark Jackson told you guys he hears you’re fighting for him and he wants you to know he’s fighting for you. How much of what went on tonight was about that? About you guys playing to try to make sure this isn’t all broken up?
CURRY: “There’s obviously change from year to year with every NBA team. I love every guy in that locker room–coaching staff, support staff, players… You understand that with each year and the way it ends, it could be the last time that particular group is together. That’s a tough feeling. So that’s kind of… When you go out there and fight like we did tonight, that was a way of saying we didn’t want our season to end and all that goes with it. Definitely, it hurts to know that this might be the end for a lot of guys in that locker room. We’ll see what happens. Like I said, we fought ’til the end.”
Q: You’ve consistently supported Mark Jackson throughout this year. What kind of mistake would it be if they replace your coach?
CURRY: “What Coach has gone through this year has been unlike anything I’ve seen–just the amount of distractions and the circus that’s been around him and decisions he’s had to make. I love Coach more than anybody. And I think for him to be in a situation where his job is under scrutiny and under question is totally unfair. And it would definitely be a shock to me if anything like that were to happen. I’m going to voice my support for Coach, if you’ve got anybody that asks me about it all summer. He deserves to be our coach next year and we’re going to come back and build off the momentum we’ve gained in the last three years and continue to grow as a team. I want Coach Jackson to be that guy leading us.”
Q: Do you guys think you’ve played your last game for him?
CURRY: “No. I don’t. Obviously I’ll say we’re not the ones making decisions. We came into the season thinking that this was a long-term situation, but obviously he’s been having these questions all year. I don’t think we have (played the last game under him). I don’t think most of the guys in the locker room do, as well. Just leave it at that. Ready to come for training camp next year with Coach Jackson at the helm.”
Mark Jackson doesn’t have one GSW front office ally who’ll make a case to ownership to keep him. “He’s on an island,” league source says.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) May 4, 2014
