SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors had a chorus after their NBA Finals Sport 1 loss on Thursday.
“It’s the primary one to 4.”
Steve Kerr stated it. Draymond Inexperienced and Klay Thompson repeated it. Within the second, it offered consolation to a Warriors crew that choked away a 12-point fourth-quarter lead on its dwelling ground.
The Warriors could be behind, however they’re proper.
However heading right into a second recreation in opposition to the Boston Celtics, this Warriors squad now has subsequent to no margin for error.
Sure, if you wish to be pedantic, the one true “must-win” video games are elimination contests, however historical past and the Warriors’ personal phrases demand we name Sport 2 (Sunday, 5 p.m., Chase Heart) what it truly is:
A must-win recreation for Golden State.
If the Warriors don’t win Sport 2, the reality is that their probabilities of successful these requisite 4 video games on this sequence drop considerably, if they aren't altogether eradicated.
No crew within the historical past of the NBA Finals has ever come again to win the title after dropping the primary two video games of the sequence at dwelling.
In truth, in your entire historical past of the seven-game NBA playoff sequence, such a turnaround has solely been completed 4 instances. After which, it solely occurred within the first and second rounds.
Fail to guard dwelling courtroom within the first two video games of the sequence, and also you’re wanting on the prospect of needing to win 4 of the following 5 video games, with solely two of these contests coming in San Francisco, a fortress for the Dubs this postseason earlier than Thursday.
Even for the Warriors, with all of their enviable playoff expertise, to perform such a turnaround appears terribly far-fetched.
The Warriors have expertise popping out of their ears, however they haven’t danced with a predicament like this usually.
In truth, Thursday’s Sport 1 was solely the third opening contest the Warriors have misplaced in 24 playoff sequence underneath head coach Steve Kerr.
One got here within the NBA Finals (2019), and one got here at dwelling (2016 Western Convention Finals).
Each instances the Warriors received Sport 2. The Warriors can take solace in that.
However Golden State might want to come again from 1-0 a 3rd time on Sunday in the event that they wish to elevate a fourth championship banner.
“They've seen all of it,” Kerr stated of his crew’s veterans. “They've received championships. They've misplaced championships. They've had their coronary heart damaged. They've had parades. That is all a part of it.”
For the youthful gamers, Warriors star Steph Curry sees classes on this crew’s peculiar playoff path, which has seen them fail to shut out 3 times in three sequence.
“I take a look at how we responded from Sport 5 to Sport 6 within the Memphis sequence. Sport 4 to five within the Dallas sequence. Even moments all through the common season the place issues are beginning to get away from us a bit bit at instances and form of have your come-to-Jesus second, like we have to play proper. We normally responded fairly nicely,” Curry stated Saturday. “It’s the primary time for lots of issues with this explicit group. We're right here within the Finals for a cause, as a result of we figured it out alongside the way in which. If we’re going to get again on this sequence, we’ve acquired to determine it out once more.”
Is this can be a “come-to-Jesus” second for the Dubs?
“Completely,” he stated.
Getting Jesus concerned? The religious Curry wouldn’t try this until it was a must-win recreation, proper?
The Warriors are additionally taking some solace in how Sport 1 was misplaced.
The Warriors’ 12-point lead was no fluke. The loss was characterised by a number of Warriors as Golden State letting its foot off the pedal and Boston making the most of the Dubs’ lull.
And amid that characterization, one other phrase was dropped a number of instances:
Desperation.
“We've to return out with a way of desperation within the first quarter and actually cement ourselves by way of what we try to do,” Curry stated. “Play with the identical pleasure, the identical aggressiveness that we all the time do, however should maintain it over 48 [minutes].
“It’s loopy saying that. That’s what it must be like within the Finals with two nice groups going at it.”
“We performed about 40 nice minutes, which is not going to get it finished at this level within the season,” Thompson stated Saturday. “It was a harsh reminder, however one thing all of us wanted to undergo, together with myself. It’s about how we reply tomorrow, which I'm very excited for.
“We're going to play with desperation tomorrow, and I feel that’s after we are at our greatest.”
If I didn’t know any higher, I’d say that desperation is one thing you convey to a must-win recreation.
In any other case, what a waste, proper?
Sure, Sport 1 might function a wake-up name for the Dubs at first of what could possibly be a traditional Finals sequence or a precursor of a Celtic coronation.
It’s on the Warriors to find out which method it should go, and you'll guess that the Celtics received’t be complacent with one win to start out the sequence.
And with outcomes so totally different, Sport 2 is totally, 100% a must-win recreation for the Warriors.
Don’t let anybody else inform you one thing totally different.