The Golden State Warriors still have a very long way to go if they are to win the NBA championship, but on Wednesday, Steve Kerr felt as though he was going home with the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
The Warriors defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 126-121, in a play-in game at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., to stay alive in their hunt for the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed in the NBA Playoffs.
Speaking to reporters in the postgame press conference, Kerr got candid about how he really felt after his team pulled off the remarkable win on the road.
“For one night, we’re us. We’re champions again. I know that may sound crazy to everybody out there. It’s a Play-In game. I don’t care,” Kerr said, via Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
Golden State’s takedown of the Clippers wouldn’t have been possible without the collective effort of multiple individuals.
Stephen Curry, who had just recently returned from a long absence due to an injury, powered the Warriors with a game-high 35 points on 12/23 shooting. Veteran big man Al Horford came out of nowhere and scored 14 points, while making big bucket from behind the arc in the fourth period.
Draymond Green only had 7 points, but without his lockdown defense on Kawhi Leonard in the fourth quarter, the Warriors probably wouldn’t have completed their comeback win.
Kerr has one more day to relish his team’s success in Inglewood before getting back to work on Friday, when they lock horns with the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Ariz., for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.
