High achievers have to challenge themselves some way to keep themselves interested. And the Golden State Warriors - with three NBA championships in four years and a roster of record-setting, history-making All-Stars - seem to be spurring excitement by making things as hard on themselves as possible.
That's right. The Warriors appear to be subconsciously making games more challenging, to give themselves a little something "extra" to conquer.
When asked after practice today why the Warriors play better on the road than at home, forward Draymond Green said:
Sometimes, at home, we can just kind of relax and think, 'oh, we're at home … we're gonna win it.' On the road … we've been able to play with the type of intensity that it takes and the type of focus that it takes.
Thus, the Warriors know, intellectually, that what they are doing won't fly. They know they are coasting at home by, in effect, playing mind games with themselves to see how little they can prepare, and how poorly they can execute, but still get away with wins.
It's like when I was in high school and would "challenge" myself by seeing how little I could study for a test and still get an A, or how little I could practice violin and still get a high chair seating. Eventually, though, no one can out-clever reality because lack of preparation catches up with everyone. If the Warriors aren't careful, they'll find themselves in the playoffs, lost and flailing, just like I was when I and my string quartet members decided to do a performance without even one practice.
So, to get on the right track and avoid similar embarrassment, the Warriors should start with small goals, like winning two games in a row, with one of those games being on their home floor.
No comments:
Post a Comment