‘Resilient’ Golden State Warriors aim to close out Houston Rockets in bruising NBA play-off series

SAN FRANCISCO – Golden State superstar Stephen Curry said the Warriors will have to show their resiliency after failing to close out the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of their bruising National Basketball Association (NBA) Western Conference first-round series.

The point guard has won four titles with the Warriors, but said the current team – bolstered by the mid-season acquisition of forward Jimmy Butler – “is trying to do this for the first time together”.

“I love that challenge, because we have an opportunity to write our own story and how we bounce back. We’ve had a pretty resilient group over the last two months, and it has to show on Friday (May 3, Singapore time),” Curry said.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr threw in the towel early on April 30, pulling his starters with more than five minutes left in the third quarter and the Warriors down by 29 at Toyota Centre.

The Rockets cut the series deficit to 3-2 with a 131-116 win, but Butler said the comprehensive defeat would not change anything when the Warriors have their next chance at Chase Centre to close out the series.

“Our confidence isn’t going to waver. We’re going to start out better. We’re going to play a better overall game,” he promised.

But they will also be ready for another physical encounter, including what Warriors veteran Draymond Green called “pretty obvious” attempts by guard Dillon Brooks to target Curry’s sprained right thumb, making contact after Curry released his shots when a foul would not be called.

“I’ve been playing the game. If (someone) had an injured ankle, I would attack that ankle every single time,” an unrepentant Brooks said when told Golden State’s local broadcast commentators had remarked on the tactic.

Kerr said he did not think Curry, who was injured in December and has been playing with a stabilising wrap on his thumb, was affected – and noted that the swipes were within the rules.

“The rule in the NBA is once the shot has been released, you’re allowed to hit the guy’s arm,” he said.

“So players all over the league are just taking shots at guys’ shooting hands after the release, because they know it’s not going to be a foul. I’m very confident next year the league will fix it, because it’s only a matter of time before somebody breaks a thumb or hand.”

Curry said: “There’s a subtle difference in how certain people do it. But if you dwell on it and get distracted, then you’re not worried about making shots. I’m trying to do both, make shots and if I get fouled, let them know I got fouled.”

Meanwhile, in play-off action on May 1, guard Jalen Brunson scored 40 points as the New York Knicks advanced to the Eastern Conference semi-finals with a 116-113 victory over the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena and a 4-2 series win. They will take on NBA champions the Boston Celtics in the next round.

In the West, the Los Angeles Clippers clinched a vital 111-105 win over the Denver Nuggets to even their series at 3-3, thanks to 28 points from guard James Harden and 27 from forward Kawhi Leonard at Intuit Dome. AFP