One good beating per series is plenty for Draymond Green and Golden State.
The Warriors got it in Game 2 at Houston
Brian McCann Jersey , and now the defending champions plan to do what they seem to do best: bounce back with brilliance.
As the Western Conference finals showdown shifts to Oracle Arena for Sunday’s Game 3, tied at one game apiece, the Warriors have spent the past few days
discussing their Game 2 troubles and what they’re striving to do in order not to
be dominated again.
It’s time to play.
”I think we’re at our best when we feel threatened,” Green said Saturday. ”Game 1 we felt threatened, we came out with a sense of urgency. Game 2 we maybe
didn’t feel as threatened and the sense of urgency wasn’t there. I think you’re
allowed one of those a series. We’ve had our one, now it’s time to lock in for
the remainder of the series.”
And for the Warriors that starts on the defensive end against Chris Paul, James Harden and Co., because when they get stops it allows Golden State to get
going in transition and find open looks from 3-point range that weren’t there
during a 127-105 Game 2 defeat Wednesday night at Houston. That was largely
because the Rockets had ample time to set their defense following made
baskets.
Houston is making sure not to get too high from its impressive result. The Rockets lost Game 1, 119-106.
”Feels like Game 2 was a week ago now. That’s how it is in the playoffs,” Paul said. ”I heard somebody say when you lose a game in the playoffs
JT Riddle Jersey , you feel like you’re never going to win again, and when you win, you feel like you’re never going to lose again. We’ve done a great job
all year staying even-keeled.”
The task gets tougher for the Rockets at one of the league’s most imposing venues.
Golden State has won an NBA record-tying 15 straight postseason home games, matching the Chicago Bulls’ mark from April 27, 1990-May 21, 1991.
”The Warriors at Oracle are a different story for sure,” Stephen Curry said.
Coach Steve Kerr spoke last week to former Warriors coach Mark Jackson about Golden State’s resiliency over years now.
Just as they did in losing once in each of the first two rounds, the Warriors hardly looked strong in Game 2. Kerr insists that rebounding from a bad loss is
hardly about coaching, patting his chest to note that his players take it upon
themselves based on their passion to respond from defeat.
”It’s a series. We’re not going to knock them out in one game,” Kevin Durant said. ”Bad games happen throughout playoff series
Tyler Thornburg Jersey , throughout a season, throughout a career. So just move on, keep getting better and see what happens next game.”
And the Warriors aren’t worried about Curry rediscovering his shooting rhythm after making only two 3-pointers – one in each game – so far this series.
It might just take one to fall for the two-time MVP to start feeling it again. Or not even one.
”I only need one, that’s all I need,” Curry said. ”Actually I might not need any because hopefully that first one that I shoot in Game 3 goes in, so I don’t
really need any.”
Golden State, which realized it wouldn’t go a record 16-1 like last postseason’s remarkable run to a second title in three years, responded from
defeats in the first round to San Antonio and then against the Pelicans in the
Western Conference semifinals.
”It’s not just this year it’s the last four years,” Kerr said. ”It shows you the resilience of our team. I was talking to Mark Jackson last week and I said,
`When I knew how tough this team was
Cheap Leighton Vander Esch Jersey , I think it was 2013 when Mark was coaching and they lost at the buzzer to Denver on the road in Game 1, Andre
Miller hit a shot. The Warriors came back and won Game 2. They lost a
heartbreaker in the next round to San Antonio at San Antonio, they had an
18-point lead with about five minutes left. A devastating loss, came back and
won Game 2 on the road. I remember as a broadcaster watching those two games
that showed what kind of guts these guys have. Mark agreed. We’ve both been
blessed to coach the group. It’s not something that you coach, it’s just
something that’s in them. Steph, Draymond, Andre (Iguodala) and Klay (Thompson),
those are guys who have been here for a while, so then you add KD to that, a guy
who’s seen everything in the playoffs. We’ve got a pretty resilient group.”
Mike D’Antoni knows what his Rockets are up against now that the series shifts to the Warriors’ imposing home court.
”We always talk about having a short memory
Cheap Uchenna Nwosu Jersey , especially in bad times, but you have to have a short memory also in good times. Play with the same desperation. Play
with the same force that we played offensively and defensively, knowing that
they’ll have more of a force on their side,” D’Antoni said. ”But we have to
control what we can control, and make sure we’re aggressive.”
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