In Toronto for Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors' season was on the line and possibly, even their dynasty.
But with their backs against the wall and needing to overcome multiple adversities, the two-time reigning champions continued to battle and eventually staved off elimination with a one-point win.
"I think it’s got to be the greatest," Draymond Green said postgame of their performance.
Draymond Green, often considered the heart and soul of the team, believed the Warriors' performance in Game 5 has got be the greatest of their recent championship run.
"When you’re down six with a couple minutes to go in an elimination for these guys to win a championship, we could have thrown in the towel. We could have folded, but we didn’t. I said it before: I’ve never seen this group fold. And that stands true still."
Playing at center in the team's small ball starting line-up, Green finished just two assists shy of a second triple-double for the series.
💪 @Money23Green (10 PTS, 10 REB, 8 AST) does a little bit of everything as the @warriors win Game 5 in Toronto! #StrengthInNumbers #NBAFinals
— NBA (@NBA) June 11, 2019
Game 6: Thursday (6/13), 9pm/et, ABC & TSN pic.twitter.com/xpbAKbnC4k
After playing 12 minutes, Kevin Durant was forced to head to the locker room and did return to the game, suffering an Achilles injury. The Warriors injury bug continued to plague them in Game 5, with key rotation big man Kevon Looney missing most of the second half after re-aggravating his upper body injury.
Golden State's head coach Steve Kerr credited his team's fight and resilience to force a Game 6 in the face of adversity.
"They have accomplished so much over the years, and that doesn't just happen and it doesn't just happen with talent," Kerr said post-game. "There has to be more that goes into it and it's that fight, that competitive desire that I talked about and that ability to stay poised under pressure. It was brilliant to watch."
The @warriors set a record for 3PM in a #NBAFinals road game with 20 triples made in the Game 5 W! #StrengthInNumbers
— NBA (@NBA) June 11, 2019
Game 6: Thursday (6/13), 9pm/et, ABC & TSN pic.twitter.com/tIqjM4VlIa
Stephen Curry, who led his team with 31 points, echoed those sentiments, telling reporters that the Warriors just let their play do the talking.
"We want to win this championship," Curry said. "We're going to give everything we got, but I think we're done with proving people wrong or making bold statements with our play, people know who we are."
Curry also had a near triple-double with eight rebounds and seven assists.
As the shifts back to Oakland for Game 6, can the Warriors force a decisive Game 7 or will the Raptors clinch the franchise's first championship on the road?
Click here for the Finals' TV schedule.
