Warriors have NBA playoff history on their side entering Game 2 vs. Kings
Dubs have history on their side entering Game 2 vs. Kings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
SACRAMENTO -- Confident frustration was felt Saturday night after the Warriors' Game 1 loss to the Sacramento Kings. A loose focus followed them Monday at shootaround ahead of Game 2, continuing a highly-anticipated first-round showdown.
Steph Curry danced on the far side of the court with E-40's "Tell Me When To Go" bumping from speakers. Klay Thompson splashed corner 3-pointers, pushing for someone to turn up the Bay Area rap legend who was kicked out of Golden 1 Center on Saturday night and is alleging racial bias as a reason for him being escorted out of the building.
Maybe the difference in experience between these two teams has been overhyped. It certainly didn't play a factor down the stretch of the Warriors' Game 1 loss. But they've been here before, and the numbers back them up.
"I think our coaching staff does a great job of drawing up adjustments," Kevon Looney said at the end of shoot-around. "Steph and Draymond [Green] also are great at making adjustments on the fly. That's why we've had so much success in Game 2s.
"Every game is different. We know that we have a lot of experience and how much one game can change a series, one quarter can change everything. We're hopefully going to get even better as the series goes on. I think that's why we do so good in Game 2."
Since taking over as the Warriors' head coach, Steve Kerr is 5-1 in first-round Game 2s. He's 19-5 overall in Game 2s as well. When the Warriors lose a playoff game, they have a long history of coming back with a vengeance and leaving the building with a win.
The Warriors have the most wins in the NBA following a playoff loss since 2015, Kerr's first season as their head coach. They're 24-8 in the next game after a loss in that span. While the Warriors' dynasty began in 2015, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green's first taste of the playoffs came in 2013 when they upset the Denver Nuggets in six games and then fell the next round to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals.
That also began their knack for avoiding too big of a hole in the playoffs. Golden State has gone 30-10 after a playoff loss dating to 2013, giving them a .750 winning percentage in said situations, the best in the league.
Jonathan Kuminga, who still is just 20 years old and in his second year as a pro, had the luxury of winning it all as a rookie. Surrounded by superstars and veterans, Kuminga knows what the emphasis is going into Monday night.
"The message is just stay locked in," Kuminga said. "It's gonna be a long game. It was loud the other day and that's how it's going to be here. Pay attention to small details."
For a team that is looking to defend its title, the Warriors' main goal down the stretch was simply avoiding the NBA play-in tournament. They found out the hard way how troubling the new addition can be. As the No. 9 seed in the tourney's inaugural 2020-21 season, the Warriors lost two straight games -- first to the Memphis Grizzlies in overtime and then by three points to the Los Angeles Lakers -- ending a disappointing season.
With years of experience making in-series adjustments, the Warriors, even after an up-and-down season where they finished the regular season as the No. 6 seed with a 44-38 record, feel they can figure any team out over a seven-game series.
"Anything can happen in one game, as we can see in the play-in," Looney said. "We just wanted to make sure that we had time to rest and time to game plan.
"When we have the opportunity to game plan and lock in on our opponent, we always do pretty good."
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In the NBA Finals last season, the Warriors dropped Game 1 to the Boston Celtics by 12 points. They were champions after six games. Once Curry and Co. first found their way to the playoffs, they have never found themselves in a two-games-to-none hole.
And they don't plan on that being a first after the final buzzer of Game 2 in Sacramento.
