Game 5: A tale of resilience, heart and heroics in the midst of adversity and heartbreak

When basketball fans and historians reflect on the defining moments of this Golden State Warriors’ dynastic run, Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals will be near the top of the list.

Their Game 5 performance was an inspiring display of resilience and heart, a heroic effort in the face of adversity and heartbreak.

The Warriors kept their season—and possibly their dynasty—alive for at least one more game by coming away with a huge win over the Toronto Raptors on the road. Given everything that they have dealt with in the series and in that game, the post-game tone felt more somber than celebratory.

The championship is the ultimate goal, but the Warriors should be proud of what they did in Game 5, refusing to let any hardship break their spirit as they looked to chip away at the daunting deficit they face.

That game showed the very best of basketball—the legendary willpower that makes you fall in love with the game—and it showed the worst of it as we all watched Kevin Durant, arguably the best that we have today, crumble to the floor after risking his body and career for his team and a chance to contribute to a title.

The Bay Area and Warriors fans all over the world are proud of them.

It was the type of team performance that reminds you of just how special this unit is as wounded Warriors tried to contribute as much as they physically could while the remaining players finished the job for their fallen brothers.

Game 5 felt like an ancient fantasy tale.

The Warriors, undermanned and overmatched, mustered enough strength for one last push, one final stand to ward off the near-inevitability of the dinosaurs from the North.

Each player did something special on an individual level, creating a beautiful collective victory that will be shared for generations.

Durant didn’t have to prove anything to anyone.

He didn’t need to lace up his shoes to appease Twitter trolls who questioned his toughness or love of the game, jeopardizing his financial security and the rest of his prime for the sake of ignorance rooted in toxic masculinity and objectification of athletes.

Knowing that he was far from being healthy, he suited up anyways, offering his services and his body to his teammates in hopes that he could help turn the series around. And, while the decision will certainly be scrutinized for years to come, Durant left no doubt about his passion, his dedication to the team, and his desire to win.

Watching any athlete go down is hard, but it’s especially tragic when an all-time great player is derailed by an injury that could change the trajectory of his career and the entire league.

Kevon Looney has been the personification of toughness, playing through the pain of a right 1st costal cartilage non-displaced fracture until he physically couldn’t anymore just weeks before he’s set to hit the market as a free agent.

Following the Warriors’ win, Looney told the media that he thinks he’ll be able to play in Game 6, a testament to his will to win and love for his teammates.

DeMarcus Cousins, who has had a whirlwind of a series, scored seven straight points after checking in for Durant following his injury.

Cousins could have given up on this season following his quad injury and given himself the entire summer to get back to full strength, but he put in the work for this moment.

He shined in Game 2 and then looked unplayable over the next two games forcing Steve Kerr to relegate him to the bench in Game 5 until the Warriors had no choice but to see what he could do. And he came through.

When Kawhi Leonard’s 10 consecutive points late in the fourth quarter gave the Raptors the lead, the Warriors could have folded and offered little resistance en route to the wrong end of a gentleman’s sweep.

But that’s not who this team is.

This is a group of battle-tested champions, fighters that know how to take a punch and throw one back.

So they answered back, defying the odds in the last 2:30 of the game with three huge three-pointers from the Founding Fathers (or should I say brothers?) of this historic team.

Klay Thompson put them within three after losing Leonard on a screen and dribbling into a trey. One minute later, Curry found an inch of space on a catch-and-shoot opportunity and tied the game.

Then, moments later, the core four of this dynasty came together for one more magical sequence, starting with Curry’s spectacular handle, continuing with Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green’s high-IQ passing, and climaxing with Thompson’s pump fake and cold blooded three-pointer to put them up.

And then when the subsequent series of blunders—Green’s backcourt violation, Cousins’ goaltend, and Cousins’ moving screen—came to fruition, they buckled down and did what they’ve done throughout this entire run: played defense.

They swarmed Leonard and rotated to different Raptors and when the ball found Kyle Lowry in the corner with a chance to win a championship, Green blocked it and secured one of the biggest wins in franchise history.

Now facing a 3-2 deficit, the Warriors are still fighting an uphill battle as the series shifts back to Oakland.

Behind Durant’s heroic 11 points in 12 minutes, the Warriors have earned 48 more minutes for Oracle Arena.

They get to go home to play four more quarters against fans that understand and appreciate the magnitude of their Game 5 victory.

Golden State may not win this series, but to shake off the emotional duress of losing two brothers as the rest deal with their own ailments and withstand a flurry from an overwhelming foe to eke out a win is enough to make everyone—including themselves—proud.

This has been a trying season for everyone as the team has dealt with a number of internal and external obstacles, but Game 5 showed that this dynasty isn’t going down without a fight and that’s all you can ever ask.