Jon Gruden looking to Warriors' NBA Finals effort to inspire Raiders

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The Raiders' struggles last season were well-documented.

In his first year back at the helm of the Silver and Black, Jon Gruden's club struggled to rush the passer, stop the run, extend drives and score points en route to a 4-12 season. 

Following that disappointment, Gruden and general manager Mike Mayock remade the roster, adding star power in Antonio Brown, reliability in Tyrell Williams and Lamarcus Joyner and potential in a rookie class that includes three players who starred at Clemson. 

Along with the roster change, Gruden also is looking to change his team's mentality. In order to do so, the famed head coach is looking to another Bay Area franchise that has exuded success over the past five years -- the Warriors.

In a clip from "Hard Knocks," Gruden can be heard giving his team a motivational speech, pointing to the willpower and fight the Warriors showed during their 2019 NBA Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors.

No better franchise to emulate.

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Despite the loss of Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant in the NBA Finals, the Warriors still were within a Steph Curry 3-pointer of forcing a decisive Game 7.

The Raiders will need to show that same kind of mental fortitude in order to succeed this season.

With a new cast of characters and a lengthy early-season road trip that has them facing the Vikings, Colts, Bears, Texans and Packers, the Raiders will need to find the heart of a champion in order to make Gruden's second season better than his first.

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