Obama salutes National Basketball Association champs at White House

The Warriors became the eighth team in National Basketball Association history to finish the season with a double-digit point differential (plus-12.7 net points per 100 possessions) and moved into third place for most three-pointers made (883), led by Stephen Curry’s NBA-record 286 threes during the regular season. “He was clowning”, Obama said.

The president also noted how he beat Curry at golf last summer, but the guard blamed the presence of secret service agents on the course for intimidating him.

Obama later received a Golden State shirt with the number 44 in honour of the 44th President of the United States.

Thompson’s jump shot was “a little prettier” than Curry’s, Obama pointed out. The president even stopped to mimic the on-court spin dance Curry showed off during the game. “So we don’t know if you have anything lined up yet, but …” “So we’re pretty lucky today, because we’ve got one of those players in the house – Steve Kerr from the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls!”.

The night before seeing Obama again, Curry had no problem tempering his emotions about another White House visit. “I think I fit in a lot better now than I did (earlier this season) because I understand the offense better and I know the players that I’m playing with better”. According to player tracking data, the players he has guarded this season are shooting just 26.8 percent on three-point shots and 37.2 percent overall – both of which are outstanding marks.

The Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in last year’s National Basketball Association finals and are off to a historically strong start in their quest to repeat, sporting a 45-4 record so far this season. But the president was sure to remind the crowd, which included House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the title of best team ever still belongs to his hometown Chicago Bulls. The Warriors were 39-4 under Walton, though those fabulous numbers go on the record of Kerr’s as a result of his being under contract. “Unfortunately, the National Basketball Association won’t let Luke count those wins as his own”, he said.

“He’s got a great sense of humor, and this is what he does so”.

To more laughter and applause, he quipped: “I can’t imagine how that feels”. And they play not just well, but they play well together.

The city of Oakland opened its arms to an estimated million revelers on Friday, showering the beloved Golden State Warriors with love and adoration after the basketball team won the NBA championship.

The team’s bench is so good that an opposing coach complained “they have two starting lineups”, exemplified by Andre Iguodala starting for the first time a year ago during the Finals and earning the Finals MVP award, Obama said.