Steph Curry and the reigning NBA champions, the Golden State Warriors, have suffered a setback in their bid to win back-to-back championships as they face Play-Off humiliation after losing Game Two against the Sacramento Kings.
Curry, 35, had never been 0-2 in a Play-Off series in his NBA career until Monday night until the Warriors fell to a 114-106 defeat to the Kings. The point guard personally put up 28 points but it wasn’t enough to stop the Warriors from hurtling towards NBA Play-Off disaster.
And to make matters worse for the Warriors, Draymond Green was ejected from play after stomping on Domantas Sabonis. Green and Sabonis got tangled up underneath the hoop while fighting for a rebound resulting in the Warriors star stepping on his Kings rival’s chest after having his ankle grabbed.
Green called out the officials directly after the game. He said Kings guard Malik Monk grabbed him right in front of an official in Game One, but nothing came of it. "I guess ankle grabbing is OK," he said sarcastically.
Despite the Play-Off setback, Curry has challenged his Warriors teammates to stand up and be counted, especially when they’re playing at home, a mere 72 miles from the Kings. “I mean, the way that we’ve played all year, there have been different rotations,” Curry said via the NBA Interviews YouTube channel.
“Getting out there and trying different things. It’s part of how we’re built because we have so many options based on looks, based on what the other team’s doing. And our biggest challenge is for everybody to stay locked in mentally on what you’re asked to do when you’re out there and not get deflated if it’s not your night or not your turn.
“I know that’s really hard to do. Everybody wants to be out there. Everybody wants to play. But things changed really quickly in a series, and if you miss that moment because you give in to the frustrations or whatever that is, that’s the hard part. That’s the challenge.
“So, those guys have been productive all year. They have helped us win some big games. I expect whoever’s out there to contribute, especially when we go home, to find some momentum and some life and give ourselves a chance in the series.”
The Warriors welcome the Kings for Game Three on Friday, April 21.
