When Steve Kerr accepted the Warriors' head coaching job in 2014, he brought a mantra with him to the Bay Area: "Strength in Numbers." The slogan found its way not only into the locker room, but also every other level of the organization.
"I think Steve Kerr, from the day he got here and the way he operates is the strength of the team and that everybody has a contribution to make and that's really where the Strength In Numbers came from," former Golden State president Rick Welts said in 2016.
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In his first official game as the head coach for the United States Men's National Team, Kerr may have felt a sense of deja vu. Team USA received contributions up and down the roster in Saturday's FIBA Basketball World Cup opener, securing a 99-72 win over New Zealand.
The final result belied the true nature of the game, though. The Americans got off to a rough start, falling into a 14-4 hole midway through the first quarter. A listless starting group was sloppy with the ball against a New Zealand team that had no fear.
Then, the reserves flipped the script. Paolo Banchero, Tyrese Haliburton and Austin Reaves brought a fresh energy to the floor. Team USA finished the period on a 15-4 run to take the lead, ended the first half with a nine-point advantage and pulled away in the second half.
Banchero finished with a game-high 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Reaves had 12 points and six assists, and Haliburton totaled 10 points, four rebounds and three assists. Eleven of Team USA's 12 players scored with only backup center Walker Kessler failing to get a bucket.
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The performance of the starters could be viewed as a wake-up call. The Americans can't lean on a superstar like Kevin Durant or LeBron James in this tournament. Perhaps Anthony Edwards will eventually become that guy, but he was part of the problem with five turnovers.
However, Team USA also showed that it doesn't always need an A-plus game from its top players. It still got a convincing group stage win because it has depth that few World Cup contenders can match.
"They punched us first, and we just kept at it, 40-minute game," Team USA forward Mikal Bridges said after the win. "Just stayed at it, stayed at it, and kept going to the end."
Kerr ended his first Warriors campaign with a championship celebration. Will his "Strength in Numbers" rallying cry carry him to another title?