Mm-hmm.

But the resilience that you guys showed and the determination and the ability to figure out, you know, how to navigate a game and come back just, you know, for me, I was just so proud of you guys.

Like the, the, the grit and the, you know, refusing to lose and the will to win.

Like, you know, and staying together because it's so easy to come apart in those moments as a group.

Mm-hmm.

And that comes from leadership, you know, and that comes from, you know, connectivity and, you know, I, you know ...

That's a lot of words I just said, but I guess you guys are winners.

You're, you know, the re- resilient.

JC

JCYou know, getting him on a, you know, the contract, on a minimum contract was like, you know, a, a veteran who's done as much as he has in his career, you know, and that can get you a bucket like, like he can.

And, you know, that was, you know, for us it was what I was saying, going back to trying to fortify the depth, you know, trying to create more depth so that we could, you know, just in case, and also to preserve these guys so, you know, for the, for the duration.

Mm.

So, you know, I was just over at the facility, um, doing that.

But, you know, we have guys that do this year round and, you know, we just have to work a little bit harder to get the knowledge, get the information, you know?

Mm-hmm.

I mean, he's, he's somebody that, you know, I've known a long time.

I mean, I r- I represented LeBron when he coached him in Cleveland.

You know, knew him and, you know, kind of followed him through his career.

Didn't know him that well, but he always, you know, was a guy that, you know, was a good guy that you could talk to and, you know, really, you know, felt good about.

That was just your gut.

But then you go through the process, and you're looking for certain things, and we had a real ...

What, um, stuck out most about Mike's philosophy?

But, like, if you look back to when you first got the job and the plan that you had in mind, how close did you stick to it, and where did you veer, if, if anywhere?

You know, I, I mean, it, it ...

When you look back on it, you think about it, I mean, you know, fortunately it all turned out the way it turned out.

I mean, there were ...

Obviously, there's always ups and downs in decisions.

You're not gonna make every, every decision you're not gonna get right.

But, you know, we were, we were all about changing the cult- changing the culture and getting guys that fit within, you know, the culture that we wanted, a winning culture.

Mm.

And we talked a little bit a- about this with Mr. Dolan when he came on the show, but, like, if you look back to when you first got the job and the plan that you had in mind, how close did you stick to it, and where did you veer, if, if anywhere?

You know, I, I mean, it, it...

When you look back on it, you think about it, I mean, you know, fortunately it all turned out the way it turned out.

I mean, there were...

Obviously, there's always ups and downs in decisions.

You're not gonna make every, every decision, you're not gonna get right.

But, you know, we were, we were all about changing the cult- changing the culture and getting guys that fit within, you know, the culture that we wanted, a winning culture.

[laughs]