With a 104-94 victory over the Boston Celtics at Chase Center on Monday, the Warriors are one win away from clinching their fourth NBA title in eight seasons.
After taking a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr expects his team to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy after Thursday’s Game 6 at TD Garden in Boston.
In a postgame speech inside the Warriors’ locker room that was captured by ESPN cameras and aired on SportsCenter, Kerr praised his players for their collective effort against the Celtics and made his expectations for what’s next abundantly clear.
“We’re going to get this in Boston,” Kerr told the Warriors.
“Yes, sir,” multiple players replied.
“We’re going to finish this in Boston, okay,” Kerr continued. “Whatever Steph (Curry) said yesterday, it still applies. Tomorrow we get our rest, get on the plane and go, get everything you need done treatment-wise, hydration, take care of all of that stuff and lock in.”
While Kerr’s reference to an assertion Steph Curry made is unclear, the Warriors know they’ll be entering a hostile environment in Boston. The Celtics, however, are just 6-5 at home this postseason and 4-5 at TD Garden since their first round sweep of the Nets.
In another portion of Kerr’s speech that aired on SportsCenter, he told his team, “Unbelievable job. I could literally go to every single one of you guys and tell you how amazing you were. That was a total team effort, especially as they came and punched us in the mouth.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 shoots a 3-point basket and misses as he’s guarded by Boston Celtics’ Grant Williams #12 in the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins (22) goes up for a basket past Boston Celtics’ Robert Williams (44) in the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics 104-94. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green #23 and Jordan Poole #3 react to a call in the third quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson #11 is double teamed by Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart #36 and Jaylen Brown #7 in the third quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Klay Thompson (11) shoots past Boston Celtics’ Robert Williams (44) in the third quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) and Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins (22) battle Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (0) for a loose ball in the third quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) celebrates a play against the Boston Celtics in the second quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) reacts to a play against the Boston Celtics in the second quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 heads to the hoop past Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum #0 in the first quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) celebrates against Boston Celtics in the first quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) and Golden State Warriors’ Otto Porter Jr. (32) block Boston Celtics’s Derrick White (8) in the first quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) makes a layup against Boston Celtics in the first quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) shoots a basket against the Boston Celtics in the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics 104-94. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Jordan Poole (3) drives against Boston Celtics’ Derrick White (9) in the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. The Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics 104-94. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry #30 passes under pressure from Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart #36 in the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) blocks Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (0) in the fourth quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 13: Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) takes a shot in front of Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (0) and Boston Celtics’ Al Horford (42) in the second quarter of Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, June 13, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
