It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these, so let’s go behind the velvet rope a little bit.



It was after Game 5. In the locker room in Houston. We had just endured another tough loss, a game we should’ve had. And now we were down 3-2, one loss from being eliminated. Anybody who knows me understands that I’m not the most vocal. I pick my spots and say what I need to say. And this, to me, was one of those moments.



“This is a critical moment for us. Our backs are against the wall. It’s the first time this team has been in this situation. This is not the time to scatter. This is not the time to jump ship. This is the time to stay together and tighten up.”



That’s the gist of what I said. The key is not the words, but the response. We did not scatter. We showed how close we can be. This team is truly a team. Not because we’re perfect but because we’re together.



Much respect to the...