Chapter 8 The Final Puzzle Piece

June 1989

Oakland, California.

I had spent two terrible seasons in Oakland, and by the end of the regular season in April 1989, I sensed that my days here wouldn't be long.

I had invested a lot in the head coach position, my family had made great sacrifices, and the Golden State Warriors were a team full of talent and skill. I got along well with players like Mu Lin and Richmond; they liked my coaching style—the fast-paced, speed-oriented style of play, and there was a consensus.

However, the Warriors' results were disappointing; we didn't make it to the playoffs in the 1989 season. Our defense was always a problem; we lacked interior support and relied solely on the vitality of our perimeter offense to play beautiful games but could not win.

The new owner of the Warriors seemed to lack some patience; in the summer of 1987, amid awkward negotiations, they terminated their collaboration with George Karl.