Oklahoma City Thunder vs Golden State Warriors - Game 2 - Full Highlights | 2016 NBA Playoffs
OKLAHOMA CITY Before they became aware of the full scope of the uproar over the kick that felled Steven Adams, while they were merely digesting how an impending blowout loss to Oklahoma City would leave the Golden State Warriors in a 2-1 Western Conference Finals deficit, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green shared more smiles than you would have expected on the bench in the fourth quarter.
They might well have been up 30 instead of down 30 for how they looked Sunday night.
Green had Curry laughing so much that Curry put his towel over his head and pulled it over his face as a veil. At a time more suitable for hiding in shamehanded a loss so severe that it ended with Klay Thompsons head in his hands, Shaun Livingston"s arms crossed over his chest and Andrew Bogut throwing his towel down in disgustCurry and Green took failure in stride.
Their confidence is real, unshakable and right at the heart of what the Warriors have done...and might do again.
With the NBA"s decision not to suspend Green for Game 4 Tuesday,that confidence is ready to be sung at the perfect pitch.
A little humbled by the defeat, a lot more appreciative of the mere opportunity to be out there in pursuit of a championship, Curry and Green are ready to be their sharpest again.
And this is what the playoffs are supposed to do: through adversity, force the game"s greats to reach greater levels.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr has had the same default response when people are shocked his teameven with those 73 victories in pocketdoesnt do well. Kerr offered it once more Monday, saying: "A reminder again of how hard it is to win a championship."
The last time the Warriors lost consecutive games was near the end of their last climb: Games 2 and 3 of the 2015 NBA Finals against the Cavaliers. The current problem works as a similar prod for Golden State; Kerr recalled clearly that "Cleveland outcompeted us the first few games" before the Warriors improved in that area, ending Matthew Dellavedova"s reign as the world"s shining example of grit and hustle.
However, the drive, talent and improved maturity of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, along with the growth of role players such as Adams and Dion Waiters, introduce a new element to the drama now.
"Most talented team we"ve faced over the last couple of years," Kerr said. "For sure."
That creates the legitimate possibility that the Warriors" best effort isnt good enough, which is an unnerving feeling teams and participants at every level of all sports know well.
It is at this point confidence is truly tested, and it"s telling that Curry believes the Game 3 disaster boils down merely to "a six-minute stretch in the second quarter" when the Warriors played really dumb basketball.
The root of it was, in fact, overconfidence. The Warriors thought they could shortcut the process and hasten a rally with quick shots that made for easy OKC transition scores.
"Kind of human nature," Curry said. "Just wanting to get your team out of whatever rut it"s in."
The line between confidence and complacency has always been fine for the Warriors this season. Kerr and then-interim head coach Luke Walton had speeches prepared for the complacency trap of being defending champions early in the season, but they instead were met with even stronger player confidence.
Green"s booming voice didnt grate on teammates who"d heard enough of his direction. Curry"s boundless fame hadn"t built resentment. Those two guys stayed in character, and the other guys were mature enough to appreciate what they had.
Despite frequently letting huge leads dwindle into narrow victories and enduring rashes of turnovers while entertaining themselves with difficult shots, the Warriors won more than anyone ever has in the regular seasona resounding siren that talent and confidence can overcome complacency.
Which only set them up for more potential complacency in these playoffs.
Curry"s injuries last month helped prevent anyone from taking anything for granted, but slippage in teamwork was obvious in these two losses to the Thunder.
Back at Chesapeake Energy Arena for the Warriors" light practice Monday, Curry and Green took turns answering media questions while sitting on the scorer"s table, one of their sacred places. The two of them always do their final stretches together there amid the darkness of the opposing team"s lineup introductions.
There was certainly more gravity to their tones as they spoke Monday. At the time, they didn"t know if Green would be suspended, and Green especially had a rare softness to his voice as he searched for words in explanation of his misdeed rather than just spouting whatever came to his mind.
About his limbo state, the loquacious Green said only: "It sucks."
He couldn"t resist expressing annoyance that Westbrook was judging his play, asserting that aggressively flailing stars such as Westbrook taught Green the technique of drawing attention to fouls. Green characteristically boasted about how much he enjoys getting booed, saying it "helps me play well," before allowing that he wants even his haters to recognize his earnestness.
Now that he is aware OKC fans believe he intentionally kicked Adams, Green said without any ill will: "I dont want them booing me for that reason."
At the start of the meaningless fourth quarter Sunday night, Green had been so relaxed that he leaned back on the visiting bench with both arms thrown over the chairs of the teammates next to him, legs splayed out. Despite the scoreboard, his ego was still practically leaking out of him, as if he were leisurely driving a convertible through Oklahoma City"s historic Automobile Alley.
Green has been humbled to some extent after a full day twisting in the wind, worrying he had let his team down even more than he thought.
No, he"s not going to rein himself in for Game 4. That"s not Draymond, and he is exceptionally adept at being true to himself. He"s going to be better focused, though, and more equipped to apply his confidence for good instead of bad.
The Warriors need his energy and adjustability. They need much more of those things than they got from him in Game 3. The same goes for Curry and his imagination and execution.
But the two of them have one thing for sure: They will appreciate the opportunity to be out there together in Game 4 more than in any previous game in this memorable season.
You already know they have no doubt about what they can accomplish together.
For as frenzied an atmosphere against Curry and Green as it will be, theirs will be an awfully difficult mindset for Oklahoma City to overcome.
Kevin Ding is an NBA senior writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @KevinDing.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2642003-golden-state-warriors-walking-fine-line-between-confidence-and-hubris
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