Lightning coach thinks he's been pretty honest
Golden State Warriors coach and former Bulls hero Steve Kerr admitted he lied about his starting lineup hours before his team took on the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.
Not wanting to telegraph his plans to Cleveland coach David Blatt that he would be starting Andre Iguodala in place of Andrew Bogut, Kerr told the media there would not be any lineup changes.
"Sorry, but I don't think they hand you the trophy based on morality," Kerr said after the Warriors won by 21 to even the series. "They give it to you if you win. So sorry about that."
Using that fact Friday, a reporter asked Lightning coach Jon Cooper, who has been vague and less than forthcoming about injured goalie Ben Bishop's status since Game 1 ended, how Kerr's actions relate to hockey and how the NHL handles reporting on injuries.
"Are you asking if I've lied (laughter)? Is my nose growing?" Cooper said. "OK, I'll be truthful in this scenario. This is regarding Ben Bishop or all injuries. I don't know sitting here today if Ben Bishop is playing on Saturday (in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final). I hope he plays. I don't know if he's going to.
"He's got to get back on the ice. If he's not in the pregame skate (Saturday), that's a pretty good indication of whether he's going to play or not.
"I'm a pretty truthful guy. I kind of call it how it is. I don't feel like I've lied to anybody. I've maybe not, I don't know, said a lot of things, or I've kept them inside.
"But what's the point, eh? What's the point of lying? Truth is going to come out anyway, so you might as well tell it when you can."