Lost Game 4 opportunity and control of the series haunts Warriors and Kerr
HOUSTON >> Steve Kerr struggled shutting his eyelids. The Warriors coach tried to sleep, but how could he following the Warriors’ 95-92 Game 4 loss to Houston on Tuesday that tied the Western Conference finals at 2-2? So Kerr tossed and turned, while questioning nearly every decision both he and his players made.
“There are some things I could’ve done a lot better,” Kerr said. “Our players feel the same way.”
Warriors guard Stephen Curry said he also questioned “everything,” including his missed potential tying shot with .5 seconds left, his 10-of-28 mark from the field and the team’s 12-point fourth-quarter effort. He admitted thinking the Warriors “lost a huge opportunity” in conceding homecourt advantage and the series’ control to Houston. Yet, Curry said he woke up Wednesday morning thinking, “we played that badly in the fourth quarter and lost by only three points.”
Hence, Curry boarded the team plane on Wednesday morning with a smile on his face. Curry and his teammates also enter Game 5 against the Rockets today feeling both remorseful and inspired with what they face.
“Definitely guys are pissed off, but encouraged as well,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said. “I love the way this team responds when our back is against the wall. I don’t mind our backs being against the wall because I know what we’re capable of, and I know the level of focus and intensity level this team brings when that is the case.”
Who could forget when the Warriors defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2015 Western Conference semifinals after losing two of the first three games? Who could forget when the Warriors beat the Oklahoma City Thunder through seven games of the 2016 Western Conference finals after trailing, 3-1?
Of course, the Warriors would like to forget when they squandered their own 3-1 series lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2016 NBA Finals. Yet, the Warriors refuse to believe something similar will happen to Houston. As Curry predicted, “it’s going to be a dog fight the rest of the way.”
“A couple of our guys in the locker room talk about how exciting this is. This is true playoff basketball,” Curry said. “This is what brings the best out of you. I like where we’re at. Obviously I’d like yesterday to go differently. But
we’re still in good shape.”
Part of the reason: the Warriors have an outlet to channel their frustrations.
“You want to correct the mistakes, play more aggressive and angry and smart at the same time,” Warriors forward Kevin Durant said. “You can channel that in the right direction. You know this team is tough to beat, especially at home, so we’re looking forward to going out here and see if we can get it done. I’m confident we can go out and play well.”
Will the Warriors’ optimism match their reality? Too hard to say.
The Warriors listed Klay Thompson (left knee strain) and Andre Iguodala (left lateral leg contusion) as questionable to play in Game 5.
Thompson participated in the team’s light practice on Wednesday
after sustaining his left knee injury that prompted him to go to the locker room in the second quarter of the Warriors’ Game 4 loss on Tuesday at Oracle Arena. Thompson returned, though he finished with 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting in 39 minutes.
“Klay is moving around very well,” Kerr said. “I think he’s going to be fine.”
Iguodala did not participate in the team’s practice on Wednesday, but he completed individual shooting drills. He sat out of Game 4 after sustaining his injury when he collided knees with Houston guard James Harden in Game 3 on Sunday. Though an X-ray and MRI came out clean, the Warriors still exercised caution.
“He’s feeling a little better today,” Kerr said of Iguodala. “He’s out on the floor, not doing a whole
lot. But he’s making progress.”
If Iguodala is absent, the Warriors are likely to start Kevon Looney at center while sliding Green to power forward as they did in Game 4. If Thompson sits, the Warriors could start backup shooting guard Nick Young.
Yet, Kerr conceded, “we could go a different direction” in handling the end of his rotation to account for his injury-laden team. As Kerr said, “if you want to go deeper in your rotation, that’s an option.”
That has become an option, however, that Kerr has avoided. Warriors centers David West (two games), Zaza Pachulia (two games) and JaVale McGee (one game) have appeared sparingly in limited minutes against Houston because of its perimeter-oriented roster. Yet, the Warriors lack wing depth with a lengthy injury to Patrick McCaw (spine contusion) and with waiving Omri Casspi last month, both because of injuries. The Warriors also cleared a playoff roster spot for Quinn Cook amid Curry’s initial absence with a left knee injury.
“We have a little bit of an imbalance on our roster. It’s not anybody’s fault,” Kerr said. “It’s just kind of the way things have come together. We’ve got to make do with what we’ve got. But that sounds stupid because we’ve got a great roster.”
Can the Warriors’ great roster withstand the Rockets’ physical play and isolation sets? They could not do so in Game 4. Yet, the Warriors believe they can do so in Game 5.
“We blew a golden opportunity, but it’s not what we can’t get back,” Green said. “We know we can get it back. So it’s no panic.”