If the Golden State Warriors plan on defending their NBA Championship in the Finals, they’ll have the break another record to get there
Just what record are we exactly talk about here? It’s erasing a 3-1 series deficit.
Well, we have both good news and bad news for the Golden States State Warriors, who just forced a Game 6 back in Chesapeake Energy Arena after outlasting the Oklahoma City Thunder, 120-111, in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
The good news is: there are nine teams in NBA history that have been able to erase a 3-1 series deficit..
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The bad news unfortunately is: nobody has ever done it – yet – in the Western Conference Finals.
Can the Warriors be the first ones to do? It would be great, isn’t it?
If anything, this season has been one of rewriting NBA history books all over again for the defending champions. They broke the long-standing record for regular season wins (73), which was previously held by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (with Michael Jordan).
Additionally, Stephen Curry made 400+ three-point shots during the regular season – which obliterated the previous record by 116 three-points. Ironically, it was also held by Curry.
He also became the first unanimous NBA MVP in the history of the award.
Unfortunately for the Golden State Warriors, those records won’t matter if they are to lose one of the final two games in the WCF. Yes, they won in Game 5, partly thanks to their homecourt advantage. But we all have to remember one thing: the Warriors have yet to win on the road in this particular series.
Let’s remember that the Warriors got blown away in Games 3 and 4. If Steph Curry and company want to force a deciding Game 7 at Oracle Arena, they will need to play like the team that won 73 regular season games. Or, at the very least, play like the team that won Game 5.
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Just to look back at how the Warriors won Game 5 that extended this series. It all started with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
That has always been the key to victory for the Warriors. In Game 5, facing an early exit from the playoffs, the Splash Brothers came out alive, finally. Curry led the way with 31 points on 9-20 shooting. He only made three out of his eight three-point attempts, but hit all 10 of his free throws. He also had seven rebounds, six assists and five steals.
Klay Thompson was not far behind, finishing with 27 points.
Another crucial key for the Warriors was their Energizer Bunny, Draymonmd Green. Green came alive, too, finishing with 11 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. But, more than that, Green was able to provide the spark, the energy that was missing back in Games 3 and 4.
Question is, can the Warriors overcome the odds to win Games 6 and 7?
It’s doable especially if you have Steph Curry on your team. But the Golden State Warriors have struggled with their three-point shot recently. In Game 5, they only made 37 percent as a team.
And that explained the final score. You can’t say it’s a blowout win for the Warriors. Oklahoma City just ran out of gas, and the fact that Kevin Durant scored 40 and Russell Westbrook added 31 tells one that the Warriors escaped this one.
Come Game 6, the Warriors must shoot better, especially from the three-point line. Whether they like it or not, their performance in Game 6 (and Game 7 if they force one) will decide how “great” this season will be looked back at for the Golden State Warriors.
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Will it be the greatest comeback or the greatest collapse in history. Only Coach Steve Kerr and his boys can answer that question.