Sports

Daily Madden: Warriors Should Have Expected A Fight

May 1, 2013 / 10:28 AM PDT / CBS San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – The Golden State Warriors fell behind early in Game Five of their playoff series with the Denver Nuggets, before trying to stage a valiant comeback in the fourth quarter.

Ultimately, they fell to the Nuggets 107-100, meaning they have a chance to clinch the series in Game Six on Thursday in Oakland.

After the game, Golden State Coach Mark Jackson called out the Nuggets for what he deemed "dirty play." But Madden told the KCBS Morning Crew that the Warriors should have expected a tough game.

"If they were surprised by Denver doing some of those things, they shouldn't have been. George Karl before the game said we're backed in a corner," Madden said. "You know what follows you're backed in a corner – you're backed in a corner, you've got a fight."

Madden said Denver was never going to "roll over" and didn't see the same thing that both players and coaching were mentioning about "dirty play." Much of the debate centered around Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who jokingly said "I got a hit on me."

But Madden said he believes much of the talk after the game is just posturing for the rest of the series, which has been fairly competitive in each game.

"You have to be physical and you have to play hard. Everyone knows NBA playoff basketball is just generally more physical because they play a lot better defense," he said. "(But) it's just both coaches trying to affect the officials and some gamesmanship."

Game Six is scheduled for Thursday night in Oakland.