OAKLAND — The Warriors are no longer alone in the agony of a last-second, heartbreaking championship defeats.
In fact, the club keeps gaining new members.
In June, Golden State lost a 3-1 NBA Finals lead to the Cleveland Cavaliers in an epic series remembered for Draymond Green’s suspension and LeBron James’ block. In November, the Cleveland Indians lost a 3-1 World Series lead to the Chicago Cubs in the extra innings of Game 7. And now last night, the Atlanta Falcons join the list after blowing a 25 point lead in the Super Bowl to the New England Patriots.
Steve Kerr addressed Atlanta’s loss last night Monday at Warriors practice.
“Just an incredible game. That’s sports. This is why we watch,” Kerr said. “You have no idea what’s going to happen. You see stuff all the time in sports that is new, that you don’t see. Nobody’s ever given up a 25 point lead in the Super Bowl before, but it happened.”
“I think I told you I was pulling for Atlanta. I like Dan Quinn, I know him a little bit. I was hoping for him that he would win. But it was an incredible game to watch and I have so much respect for the Patriots and what they do year-in and year-out. So much like the Spurs, they are just there every year. They give themselves a chance year after year. To have this kind of run for 15 years is just unprecedented, unheard of. Amazing what they did last night.”
I vividly remember the somber mood the Warriors carried around in the days following their Game 7 loss to the Cavaliers. Green had some rather foreshadowing comments at the time, too.
“What do you do to make sure it doesn’t happen again?” Green said. “It’s the NBA. It’s the business we live in. I don’t know who will be here and who won’t.”
The Warriors made drastic changes to their roster in hopes of avoiding the feeling the Falcons have right now. But last night’s Super Bowl is still a scary reminder that championship experience matters.
The Patriots remained focused and calm in the midst of a meltdown. On the other side of the coin, it was the first championship for Matt Ryan and Kyle Shanahan — the latter showed decision making can get clouded when the moment gets bigger. Tom Brady made big plays when he had too in the fourth quarter and Ryan didn’t.
If the Warriors return to the NBA Finals in June, it’ll be Kevin Durant’s first trip back to the title since 2012 — meanwhile it will likely be LeBron James’ seventh consecutive appearance. It won’t be stunning if Durant struggles for a game, or two, or three in the NBA Finals. The stage and pressure will be different than he’s used to.
For better or for worse, the Warriors, Indians and Falcons are now are connected through history. The Indians and Falcons look more like blips on the radar as opposed to the dynasty the Warriors have become. Nevertheless, a championship meltdown does not discriminate.