The Golden State Warriors are making their fifth consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals. This season's trip to the league's biggest stage has been filled with adversity, but head coach Steve Kerr says it's “business as usual.”
After falling in Wednesday night's Game 3 matchup, the Warriors find themselves trailing the Toronto Raptors, 2-1. Golden State was without the services of several key players due to injuries, however, including Kevin Durant (calf), Klay Thompson (hamstring), and Kevon Looney (chest).
Kerr wishes his starters were available, to be sure, but he's also embracing this new challenge. In fact, he's drawing on past experience as a point of reference.
“It just feels like business as usual, honestly,” Kerr said. “I hope that doesn't sound arrogant, but the benefit of having been through five years of this is we have literally seen everything.
“We have lost a 3-1 [Finals] lead in a heartbreaking fashion. We have come back from 3-1 down. We have had to win a Game 7 on the road. We have been without Steph Curry for a series. We have been without Kevin Durant. We were without Klay [Wednesday.] Our opponents have been without key players.”
“So I think the key is, and our guys know this because they have been through it before, you just zero in on the next game. You make your adjustments and you win the next game, and all of a sudden everything shifts and the whole narrative changes.”
The Warriors will be shorthanded for Game 4 as well, as Durant and Looney have already been ruled out. Durant hasn't experienced any setbacks, according to several reports, he's just not ready for full-contact activity on the court. Thompson, on the other hand, is expected to make his return after missing the first playoff game of his career.
Golden State forward Kevin Durant will not play in Game 4 of the finals against Toronto.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 6, 2019
The Warriors and Raptors will meet for Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night. Tip-off inside Oracle Arena is set for 9:00 p.m. ET, with ABC having live broadcast coverage.
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