MEMPHIS — The Golden State Warriors anticipated a bodily combat in Recreation 2 of their second-round N.B.A. playoff sequence with the Memphis Grizzlies. However to lose that sport, 106-101, and to lose a beloved defender to a fractured elbow? These occasions they didn’t count on.
It created a mélange of feelings after the sport — anger, disappointment, frustration.
Nonetheless, level guard Stephen Curry, the emotional heart of the staff, supplied a number of causes Golden State didn’t plan to panic.
“It’s going to be a protracted three days with that feeling, however we perceive what we have to do,” he stated.
And in addition: “We’ve been in a whole lot of totally different sequence that’s taken a whole lot of twists and turns.”
And later: “Lot of adversity, a whole lot of adrenaline and emotion. We’ve simply obtained to win 4 video games one way or the other a way.”
The loss, on Tuesday night time, confirmed the problem of the emotional stability the Warriors pleasure themselves on having. As they try to win one other championship, they’re lastly attending to play in high-stakes video games after a two-year postseason drought. With that comes the potential for highs, like their emotional 1-point win in Recreation 1 in opposition to the Grizzlies, but additionally lows, like the best way they felt after their loss Tuesday. The sequence, which is tied 1-1, will proceed in San Francisco with Recreation 3 on Saturday.
“Everyone’s bummed out,” Golden State Coach Steve Kerr stated. “But it surely’s the playoffs, so everyone will bathe up and we’ll get on the aircraft and head residence. We’re in a great spot.”
The 2 years throughout which Golden State missed the playoffs made these gamers who had been by the championship years that rather more wistful for the fun of playoff stakes.
“I feel it’s nearly like a drug in some methods,” stated the assistant coach Ron Adams, who has been with the staff since 2014.
Solely six gamers from the final N.B.A. finals run, in 2019, stay, however they’ve returned to the playoffs with a deeper understanding of their feelings.
“I obtained excited after Recreation 1 as a result of it was such a hard-fought sport, however as quickly as I went again to the lodge that adrenaline wore off and I spotted it’s only one sport and it’s a marathon,” guard Klay Thompson, 32, stated. “For me, I feel I’m much more centered than I used to be our first time doing this.”
He additionally believes some issues haven’t modified, and shouldn’t.
“I’ve been by the largest battles with Dray, and he embraces these moments, he embraces being the villain,” Thompson stated of ahead Draymond Inexperienced. “We’d like that. He actually makes us go, and with out him, we’re not the Warriors.”
On Tuesday morning, Kerr had stated Golden State anticipated Recreation 2 to be essentially the most bodily sport the staff had performed all season.
It roiled their feelings, with the hostile Grizzlies crowd lifting the house staff. Memphis guard Ja Morant scored 47 factors, together with 18 within the fourth quarter, and the Grizzlies capitalized on Golden State’s errors late. However the opening minutes set a tense tone.
Grizzlies ahead Dillon Brooks was ejected lower than three minutes into the sport, having acquired a flagrant-2 foul after swiping Gary Payton II throughout the top as Payton was within the air to attempt to make a basket. Payton fractured his elbow when he landed awkwardly.
“I don’t know if it was intentional, but it surely was soiled,” Kerr stated, later accusing Brooks of jeopardizing Payton’s profession.
Inexperienced additionally left the sport within the first quarter after Xavier Tillman inadvertently elbowed him within the face. Listening to boos from the gang, Inexperienced raised his center fingers towards the followers as he left the courtroom to get stitches above his proper eye.
“It felt actually good to flip them off,” stated Inexperienced, who answered different questions in regards to the night time in clipped sentences. “You’re going to boo somebody that obtained elbowed within the eye and had blood working down your face? I might’ve had a concussion or something. So in the event that they’re going to be that nasty, I might be nasty, too. I’m assuming the cheers was as a result of they know I’ll get fined. Nice. I make $25 million a yr. I must be simply superb.”
Inexperienced and Grizzlies followers had been already on unhealthy phrases coming into the sport. He had been ejected from Recreation 1 after a tough foul on Memphis ahead Brandon Clarke. On Tuesday, Inexperienced returned to the sport firstly of the second quarter along with his proper eye almost swollen shut.
All of the whereas, Golden State was determining easy methods to get well from a sizzling Grizzlies begin and Payton’s damage.
“It was like 8-0 on the time, so I used to be attempting to get settled within the sport,” Curry stated. “That play occurs. It pisses you off, you might have a response, perceive there’s 45 minutes left within the sport. You’ve obtained to type of settle again in emotionally. We did a extremely good job till the fourth quarter.”
It was a marked change from Golden State’s demeanor following the Recreation 1 win, however that shift is typical in playoff sequence, notably the nearer they’re to the finals.
Curry’s signature emotion is happiness. Recently, as Golden State has superior within the playoffs, because the video games have grow to be extra essential and difficult, these round him have seen extra of that.
“Simply the easy phrase, ‘You bought to adore it’; heard him say that a couple of occasions,” Bruce Fraser, an assistant coach who works carefully with Curry, stated Tuesday morning. “You possibly can really feel his vitality. He walks round with an vitality round him. I do know him so nicely it’s laborious for me to explain what that’s as a result of I simply really feel it.”
Having the ability to forestall an emotionally taxing loss from altering that has been part of Golden State’s success prior to now.
On Tuesday morning, Thompson spoke not nearly his efforts to remain calm in thrilling moments, but additionally about his improved capability to not fear an excessive amount of in additional unfavourable moments. He stated he beloved to play in any sport he might, given his two-year absence from the game as he recovered from two leg accidents.
He additionally spoke about his confidence that Golden State might deal with something, as a result of in his years taking part in with Curry and Inexperienced, they’ve, he stated, “been by all the things.”
He recalled a playoff sequence in opposition to the Grizzlies in 2015 and the way aggressively that Memphis staff performed. Golden State additionally misplaced Recreation 2 of that sequence earlier than successful it on the best way to Thompson, Curry and Inexperienced’s first championship. That’s to not say the conditions are an identical. In 2015, Golden State was the highest seed within the Western Convention, whereas Memphis was fifth. This season, the Grizzlies had the second-best document within the N.B.A., whereas Golden State was third.
These forms of experiences, although, assist maintain feelings secure.
After Tuesday’s sport, Curry spoke with reporters earlier than he even modified out of his sport uniform. Nonetheless, he already gave the impression to be transferring previous the emotion of the sport. He exhibited the cerebral high quality that leads the remainder of his staff.
“It’s in our DNA,” Curry stated when requested how Golden State would get well from this loss. “We all know what to do.”
