The Warriors pamper Looney, the unexpected hero: “But I’ve always been ready”

The Warriors always seem to have a spare card ready in these playoffs if things get complicated. In Game 1 against Dallas it was Wiggins, in Game 2 even Looney. The certainty remains Curry: spectacular in the last quarter. So Golden State recovered from -17 in the second half and went up 2-0 in the West Conference final series. This time he wins despite being faced with a sumptuous Doncic, who redeems himself after the modest Race 1. The Dubs are 14-1 with Kerr as coach in the series conducted 2-0, the exception being the Finals 2016. And 8-0 in San Francisco in the 2022 playoffs, in which they have the advantage from here to the end of the race. But Dallas has already comeback in the series against Utah and Phoenix, still does not despair. Here is how and why, in the words of the protagonists, Golden State managed to perfect the reversal in Race 2, even down by 19 points, by 14 at half-time. It will serve as a lesson to both teams as they look forward.

UNEXPECTED HERO LOONEY

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Hero for a night, who was expecting it… He had already played well in Race 1, this time he “exaggerated”. 21 points shooting 10/14, 12 rebounds, decisive in the third quarter, when he scored 11 and forced the opponents to 0/6 to the primary defender shot. He says, almost amazed to find himself in the center of attention: “We went back down with the defense, we had conceded too many triples at the start of the match. The guards attacked the iron, I had the basket supports available ”. But he remains a defensive specialist: “A pride to limit the great opponents, the stops at home also serve to involve the public. My minutes can change from series to series, from game to game, but I’m always ready. And Kerr helped me even when things weren’t going well. Last time with at least 20 points? He knows me in college ”. Yes, freshman year at UCLA. Kerr pampers him: “Incredibly underestimated by everyone, he changes in defense on the outside, rebounds, blocks blocks, in this series he is scoring decisive baskets. He was also super in Game 6 against Memphis, he’s a great professional, he does his job, no matter how many minutes you play. Intelligent, he gives us stability, he has already been important for two titles. Without him this year I don’t know where we would be ”. Looney is the first center of the Dubs since 1977, then Robert Parish had done it, able to close a playoff match with at least 20 points and at least 10 rebounds.

CLUTCH CURRY

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The main stars shone in Race 2. The son of art with 32 efficient points, with 8 rebounds and 5 side assists. Above all, he closed the game in the last quarter, scoring 10 points, shooting 4/4, including the triple on target after which he said goodnight to his opponents. Then he says: “We knew they would have shot better than in Race 1, in the first half they always scored, 15/27 from 3 points. But at half-time we were ‘only’ 14 down, we knew we could put pressure on them with a partial. Inertia changes quickly. Exciting victory, now we have to pack for Dallas what we did in the second half and start the games better, so as not to have to improvise historic comebacks ”. Kerr: “Steph decisive in the final? There is a reason we have won three titles. We have stars who are not afraid, they make a difference under pressure. They’ve already been there. Steph is one of the best of all ages. This is what the great ones do… ”.

LUKA IS NOT ENOUGH

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The Texan star was also brilliant. Doncic finished with 42 points, (12/23 shooting, 13/15 from the line), 8 assists and just 2 turnovers. He climbed the 800 points scored in his first 25 career playoff games: only Chamberlain and Jordan had managed before him. Yet he finds himself with a defeat in front of his eyes to digest. “They are the Warriors, a great, winning team. We have to fix the defense, we were 19 points ahead… it’s difficult, but we can’t look at what it was. What has happened has now happened. We have to think about Race 3 already ”. Kerr pays him the honor of guns: “You can only limit the easy shots. Incredible player, one of the greatest around. For Wiggins it’s hard work to mark him ”. But if the Warriors win even when Luka scores 42 points for them, the future of the series looks promising …