This story appears in the December 12, 2016, issue of SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. To subscribe, click here.
Doc Rivers was hoarse and happy, fresh off another win during the fastest start in Clippers’ history, raving about how quickly J.J. Redick could decelerate from a full sprint and square up for a quick-trigger three. “Maybe four guys in the league can make that shot,” the veteran coach said, prompting the obvious follow-up: Who are the others? Rivers then started blindly down a dark alley: “Stephen Curry ... uh, Klay Thompson and then ... Kevin Durant.” The moment the third name came off his lips, Rivers started smiling and then broke into a sheepish laugh.