NI VT ROMANO
HANDANG bumalikwas ang Golden State Warriors matapos ang NBA Finals series opening loss, laban sa Boston Celtics sa Game Two action sa Linggo (Lunes sa Manila).
Bago ang best-of-seven series, paborito ang Golden State na mag-uuwi ng kanilang ikapitong NBA championship, ngunit nakatikim ang Warriors ng 120-108 kabiguan sa Game One noong Huwebes (Biyernes sa Manila), makaraang habulin ng Celtics ang 12-point fourth quarter deficit tungo sa 1-0 lead sa serye.
Sa nasabing pagkatalo, kung saan na-outscore ng Celtics ang Warriors, 40-16 sa final quarter, naiwan ang mga tanong kung may ‘psychological damage’ ba iyon sa Golden State.
Pipiliting kunin ng Celtics ang 2-0 lead sa Linggo, bago lumipat ang serye sa Boston para sa Games 3 at 4.
Pero, binigyang-diin ni Warriors coach Steve Kerr, ang nangyari sa Game One ay hindi na bago sa kanila. Kinakailangang tanggapin, at maghanda para makabawi.
“The value of experience, playoff experience, is that you really do understand the ups and downs of a playoff series,” lahad ni Kerr sa mediamen nitong Sabado. “It’s really important to turn the page one way or the other. You know, if you win and you get happy and you let your guard down, then you’re in trouble.”
“And if you lose and you feel sorry for yourself, then you’re in trouble doing that, too.”
Aniya pa: “It’s all about how you respond. These guys are the best athletes, best competitors on earth, and a huge part of competition at the highest stage is your emotional and mental approach.”
Si Kerr at ang kanyang coaching staff, pati na mga manlalaro ay tinukoy ang naging dahilan ng pagkatalo at hindi lamang ang comeback ng Boston sa fourth quarter.
“I thought we got away from ourselves in the first quarter in terms of game plan,” wika pa ni Kerr. “I think everything that happened in the first three quarters helped the process in the fourth for them to get going the way they did.
“The film showed the good and the bad. We had some good stretches, and then obviously the fourth quarter was like an avalanche. “But again, we let our guard down earlier in the game, and that allows guys to be more comfortable when they are taking shots. And when you get a couple of early ones that you get a really good look at it, it just makes every shot easier after that.”
Ipinagtanggol naman ni Kerr sina GSW star Stephen Curry at Draymond Green sa ‘no care attitude’ matapos ang Game One.
“Draymond and Steph have been in the Finals six times now. They have seen it all,” komento ni Kerr. “They have won championships. They have lost championships. They have had their heart broken. They have had parades. This is all part of it.”
“So that’s the right mental approach, and that’s one that’s born out of experience.”
Hindi rin umano binibigyang-pansin ni Green ang ‘ingay’ hinggil sa pagkatalo nila.
“It’s the world we live in — clickbait headlines, who can get the most views, who can say the most outlandish thing,” paliwanag ni Green. “That’s just the world we live in.
Dagdag niya: “Ultimately you have to be able to block the noise out because the noise is going to be there. We come out and win tomorrow, everything’s back to normal. The Warriors are fine.”
“They’re going to go on the road. You know they can win a playoff game on the road.”
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