Warriors Steve Kerr: "Our Guys Are F...... Giants"
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr reflected on Liverpool's incredible comeback win over Barcelona in soccer's Champions League semifinal to sum up his team come-from-behind win over Houston in Game 5.
With Kevin Durant in the lockerroom with a severe calf injury, the Warriors waged a fourth quarter battle for the ages with the Rockets, emerging with a 104-99 win and a 3-2 led in the best-of-seven NBA playoff series.
"Liverpool yesterday came out with one of the great wins in soccer history," Kerr said of Liverpool's 4-0 win to overcome a 3-0 aggregate deficit in their two-game semifinal. "After the match, their manager Jürgen Klopp said: 'The young kids in Liverpool are probably asleep by now so I'm just going to go ahead and say it -- Our boys are f..... giants."
"I know how he feels," he continued. "I apologize to my mom who is probably watching but our guys are f..... giants. That was an unbelievable victory."
Kerr talked with the injured Durant, who has been on an incredible roll in the post-season, after the game.
"He's disappointed," the Warriors head coach said. "But he's excited for our guys and for our victory...We'll see what happens in the next couple days."
With Durant firing on all cylinders against the Rockets, stars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have been struggling. Both made big plays in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
Kerr said there was no inspirational speech necessary to get his team refocused after the Durant injury in the third quarter. He limped to the locker room after landing awkwardly following a baseline jumper.
"It was such a weird game because we played so well in that second quarter and probably should have gone in at half up 20 or more," he said of his team's 57-43 halftime advantage. "All of a sudden they start the third quarter strong and it's a game again. It felt like it was slipping away. I think our guys just -- They have been here so many times, they have been through these battles for the last 5 years. They got a lot of guts and they just pulled together and got it done."
"There is no speech necessary. They knew what they had to do."
Durant, who will undergo a MRI early Thursday to determine the extent of the injury, finished the game with 22 points. Curry had 25, Thompson 27, Iguodala 11 and Draymond Green fell too short of a triple double with 8 points, 11 assists (9 in the first half) and 12 rebounds.
The teams will next play in Houston on Friday night in Game 6.