© Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Steve Kerr personally knows the importance of winning Game 1 on the road.
Back in 2001, as a member of the No. 1 seeded San Antonio Spurs, they lost Game 1 at home to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers then won Game 2 and crushed San Antonio in Game 3 and 4, sweeping the series.
“They came in and beat us in Game 1, and it just set the entire tone,” Kerr said. “I think there is a real power — and I have been on the wrong end of this in my playing days— there is a real power with going in and taking Game 1 on the road. It entirely changes the series.”
The Warriors have this opportunity Monday evening, when they enter Houston as the lower-seeded team in a matchup for the first time in four years. Golden State has won a road game in each of its past 17 playoff series, a franchise record.
Another feat: Golden State’s 15-game home playoff winning streak. If the Warriors can steal one in Houston, they have to like their chances.
And although they haven’t played a Game 1 at another team’s court since Kerr was head coach, the easily motivated Draymond Green welcomes the change.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity for us to go start a series somewhere else and not so much where we’re at home, like you said, protecting, just trying not to give up a game,” Green said after Game 5 in the Pelicans series. “We got a couple swings to go in there and take one. I’m looking forward to that, for sure.”
Kerr said there is no different strategy as his team approaches its fourth straight Western Conference Finals. But he admits there is a different mentality.
“We obviously would rather have home court, but we don’t, but let’s take advantage of it,” Kerr said. “Let’s go own there’s, and play a great Game 1 and see if we can shift the entire dynamic of the series and entire feel to our advantage.”
Listen to the full Tolbert & Lund podcast with Kerr below. To hear the Warriors head coach explain the importance of winning Game 1, skip ahead to 15:45.