If we can accept whatever hand we've been dealt - no matter how unwelcome - the way to proceed eventually becomes clear.

Before a vision (dream) can become a reality, it must be owned by every member of the group.

And yet as a coach, I know that being fixated on winning (or more likely, not losing) is counterproductive, especially when it causes you to lose control of your emotions. What’s more, obsessing about winning is a loser’s game: The most we can hope for is to create the best possible conditions for success, then let go of the outcome. The ride is a lot more fun that way.

I will have Derek Fisher wear all 5 of his rings the first time he comes in to talk to Carmelo.

The sign of a great player is how much he elevates his colleagues' performance.

Basketball is a great mystery. You can do everything right. You can have the perfect mix of talent and the best system of offense in the game. You can devise a foolproof defensive strategy and prepare your players for every possible eventuality. But if the players don’t have a sense of oneness as a group, your efforts won’t pay off. And the bond that unites a team can be so fragile, so elusive.

I'm a patient person. I think that's one thing that I feel comfortable I can deal with - the downfall and the errors, as long as I see progress and people trying.