Video Analysis

Watch how Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson led the Golden State Warriors to one of the most improbable comebacks in NBA Finals history, down 6 with 3 min left in elimination Game 5. Watch Curry giving a pep talk on the bench after Kevin Durant’s stunning re-injury, and see how Kerr stole a Spurs play. Co-starring great defense from Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green.

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Notes During The Game

Pre-Game Checklist

GSW can win G5 if

• Tighter D rotations, track men at arc
• Trap less & smarter - right on pick, not ambling up
• DMC/Bogut not killed in PNR
• Steph shoots or creates well
• KD >= neutral, eats mins of weaker bench
• Win turnover battle

• If GSW hits all their 3s for the rest of the game, they will probably pull off the upset.
• KD with a smooth stroke on the 3s, but he looks a touch slow and tired on D.‏
• TOR repeatedly hurting GSW with the little lob over the top to a slipping Gasol on the PNR
• GSW’s turnovers look like some rust from not playing w KD and/or fatigue/pressure. TOR TOs look more like GSW D pressure...
• So... does Boogie start the 2nd? With Klay?
• Bogut-KD-Klay-Quinn-Shaun to start Q2.
• Makes sense. Defenders plus Quinn.
• No Boogie. Boogie just looked unplayable last game.
• Well, it was fun while it lasted. I hope KD suffers no lasting harm from this.
• During the break, Steph is going around to all the players on the bench and trying to pump them up individually.
• All-out effort and live with the results!
• Boogie coming in. Hold your breath.
• I don’t know if Boogie can maintain this offensive composure, but I’m so happy for him that he’s been able to be effective playing within himself. One play he drove and Lowry was waiting to take the charge. DMC adjusted and swung the ball.
• Cousins doing a nice job being the finisher near the paint and not so much of the point forward heroball that plagued G4
• Andre comes to bench outraged by foul call, Kerr shrugs and says, “I know, they’re calling EVERYTHING”
• Is that the first steal Andre has gotten from Kawhi? Andre’s patented swipe down hasn’t been working against Kawhi’s absurd grip power this series.
• Looney gets undercut by Lowry and a bonus whack to the face from Gasol. He is gutting out a physical game with that chest injury. And... he’s out of the game.
• Thanks Kevon, you gave it your all. Hope that heals up fast.
• Both teams look tired from the pace and effort. GSW is thinner though, and Kerr has shortened the bench.
• TOR should have a good opportunity to pull away in the 4th. Not sure how Kerr can buy his top 4 some rest time...
• If you knew KD got injured early in the game and Looney got re-injured too, but somehow GSW was within 6 with 3 min to go... you’d take that puncher’s chance wouldn’t you?
• Steph has no legs left... can he get one more burst?
• 3 UP with a minute to go. PUNCHER GOES AHEAD. But still feels like an uphill climb here... but LOVE the fight in this team.
• Great game, but.... RANDOM ENDING INCOMING.
• HOW TF DID GSW WIN THAT???
• What a gutsy performance. For one day, bad faith takes of “Steph never plays well in the Finals” will be silent. Steph in postgame with Doris looks like he’s going to collapse. Gets emotional talking about KD.
• On the last play, GSW runs a trap on Kawhi, which TOR has dissected since G3, but the clock was their ally and TOR didn’t have time to swing it for a good look and Dray knew Lowry *had* to shoot that at the buzzer
• PUNCHING CHOKERS WIN
• I don’t know about all this second guessing of Nurse’s timeout. Kawhi looked pretty beat out there, after his nuclear takeover. And GSW had to hit 3 unbelievable threes on tired legs and nearly pitched a shutout.
• Nurse on the scandalous timeout: “Yeah, well, we had two free ones that you lose under the 3 min mark, and we just came across and just decided to give those guys a rest... and just thought we could use the extra energy push.”
• I feel such a mix of emotions. Feel terrible about KD, but a classic, incredible win.

‏Post-game Checklist

• Turnovers 15-13 GSW
• KD >= neutral, eats mins of weaker bench
• ✅ Steph shoots well
• ❌ DMC/Bogut wounded in PNR
• ✅ Trap smarter - end game trap won game
• ✅ Trap less
• ✅ D tighter, better contests on 3s