NBA Finals Game 2 have the warriors back by Chris Filios

Written by Coach Peterman

I have coached at the NCAA Division 2 (Southwestern Oklahoma State University), NAIA (USAO), and JUCO Levels (Blinn College and Carl Albert State College) as well as high school. I just felt that fellow coaches especially young coaches need to constantly work on their “game”. Just like the basketball players that we coach. We as coaches need to improve ourselves. That is my story and why I do this blog.

June 12, 2019

Most teams would have hung their heads. Most teams would have folded. Most teams would have lost. Most teams are not the Golden State Warriors. After a loss in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the defending champions were looking a 2-0 series deficit to the Toronto Raptors in the face.  Kevin Durant hasn’t played in almost a month. Klay Thompson had to leave Game 2 early with an injury. Andre Iguodala, the Warriors best defender, and matchup for Kawhi Leonard is playing banged up from a calf injury in the previous series. Demarcus Cousins played in just his second game in months. Kevon Looney, who has been the Warrior’s most consistent player playing the center position and is a highly underrated piece to their success, went down and left with a shoulder injury. With an already top-heavy talent roster, the Warriors were forced to play older veterans (Jonas Jerebko, Andrew Bogut) and former G-Leaguers (Quinn Cook, Alfonzo McKinnie).  Any other team would have quit and no one would have blamed them. All those injuries, playing on the road against the team with the 2nd best record in the NBA, being down 1-0 in the NBA Finals series…how were they supposed to win? The Warriors have been here before though. They have played through adversity. They are playing in their 4th straight finals. They played like a team unfazed by the moment. They did what champions do. They stayed the course, didn’t panic, and imposed their will on their opponent. Curry, Thompson, and Green played like the all-stars that they are. Role players- Bogut, Cook, Livingston, gave huge minutes and contributions. While it is just one game, it was one major statement. Their performance was a reminder of who the Warriors are at their core. They are not built around one guy. They are not just a small group of superstars. They are defined by so much more. They are defined by confidence, toughness, and fearlessness that continues to face adversity head-on.  Now the NBA Finals series is 1-1 headed back to Oakland. The Warriors may be without Durant, Looney, and Thompson. The Raptors will be angry for letting a great opportunity get away. There will be a lot of pressure to win at home. The odds may be stacked against them, but don’t expect the Warriors to blink.

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