"This is how David Lee realized he was truly wanted here. The Los Angeles Lakers had just handcuffed Lee, holding him to no points and handing the Warriors their first loss of the season. That night, Golden State's first-year coach, Keith Smart, called him.

As a player, Smart had been there. He figured Lee would play the lowlights on an endless loop through the night. Those nights occasionally happen, Smart said, but the games should be quickly forgotten.

"I felt it was important to him, even if I couldn't get ahold of him at 1 a.m., to call and leave a message on his phone," Smart said."