~ Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals ~
As the school year nears its end, I find myself revisiting this moment two years ago.
I was at home, watching Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals, a head-to-head matchup where the two juggernauts of professional basketball battled for a championship. Setting the stage on their home floor in Oakland, California, there were the Golden State Warriors. Led by two-time MVP Stephen Curry, the Warriors were in the midst of chasing their third consecutive championship during an unprecedented stretch of basketball dominance.
On the other side of the court were the Toronto Raptors, led by back-to-back defensive player of the year Kawhi Leonard. The Raptors had just finished winning a tough battle within their respective sides of the championship bracket. Not only were they hungry for their first championship, but they were also teething at the thought of beating a dynasty.
At this point in a seven-game series, the Raptors were ahead, leading three (3) games to two (2). It was a do or die situation for the Warriors, as one game meant the difference between championship number 3 or a summer of regret. Also, the basketball gods had done no favors to the Warriors, who lost their other superstar in Kevin Durant to one of the most terrifying injuries an athlete could sustain, a full rupture of the Achilles.
I was (and still am) a gigantic Golden State Warriors fan. I knew that this game was the turning point of this series. Two things crossed my mind: One, the Raptors could win, bringing Canada their first taste of championship glory and the prestige of beating one of the greatest teams in basketball history. Second, the Warriors could force Game 7, giving them a chance to redeem themselves from their own disheartening failures a couple of seasons prior. A tale that could bring them into the echelon of NBA’s greatest comeback stories of all time.
I was sitting in my chair, anxiously watching every single moment of that game. However, the Warriors seemed to ease that anxiety by bringing energy that rocked the entire arena. The three main guys were in control. Steph Curry was rolling, Klay Thompson was in his patented elimination game mode, and Draymond Green was anchoring the defense like a moth to a flame. The crowd roared with excitement at every critical juncture in the game. They were ahead, in the middle of making history. It seemed as if there was nothing that could stop the freight train that were the Golden State Warriors.
All of a sudden, play stopped.
In the last few minutes of the third quarter, Klay Thompson (the Warriors second leading scorer and vocal leader) went up for a fastbreak dunk and landed awkwardly on his left knee. He was gasping for air, shouting because of what seemed to be a devastating knee injury.
The photo above reflected everyone’s sentiments during that moment. Steph sitting down at the other end of the court was a microcosm of what was on everyone’s minds. Even without a full diagnosis, everyone knew it was bad, and I did too.
A sickening feeling went through my stomach that moment, a voice that told me that the game was over. It was right. Even though Klay managed to come back and hit another shot, he went out of the game shortly. Without anyone helping Steph put the ball in the basket, the game was done.
The Toronto Raptors won the NBA Championship, leaving behind a former dynasty in their path. The team that was thought to be unbeatable was beaten - broken by a devastating trail of injuries.
However, a silver lining shone during those final seconds.
In those waning moments where the game was decided, I saw the faces of people who were unsatisfied, people who suddenly had a fire lit under them. Faces that said, “this isn’t gonna be the last time you’ll be seein’ us here. You’ll see.”
Fast forward to two years later, things haven’t been so good for the Golden State Warriors: Kevin Durant left to join another team, Klay Thompson still hasn’t recovered from his injuries, and Stephen Curry - the man who everyone wanted to see play - was basically out for the entire season due to a fractured hand.
But there were bright spots. The team built their chemistry up, becoming even better without their leaders on the floor. They were forced into the fire, strengthening their hearts for the worst crunch time situations. They were getting ready to come back with a force. They even got players that could not only help the championship core, but also become the future of the franchise.
I sit here today, watching every Warrior game that I could, not because they are bad, but because they bring me hope and joy. I watch today as the team fights for wins in what seems to be an underdog season for them. Even without a guaranteed trip to the championship, I continue to watch them. I enjoy the highs and learn from the lows.
They make me realize what goals I could have for myself. Goals that I have this year and this semester. Right now, it’s just dawning to me that my Senior High School life is ending and I’m slowly transitioning over to college. Things are changing, and they’re changing fast. Time is moving so fast and I’m losing track of what I’m supposed to do.
Days have been hard; they’ve honestly been difficult. I struggle with matching productivity levels that I want. I miss deadlines that I set for myself because of my own incompetence. It doesn’t help that I really can’t go out and find a space to think.
However, despite that, I always remember what I have and what I fight for. Dreams that encapsulate my meaning and my heart. The influence that I had from the Warriors was that there are highs and there are lows, and that the rolling wheel of life was innately, a huge part of growth. I will have to face many challenges, with myself and with others around me. All I can do is accept them and focus on what my heart truly desired.
I have so many dreams for this year. By the end of it, I want to have learned a significant part of a foreign language. I don’t want to miss the chance of speaking, reading, and writing the things that were etched into my heart long ago. I want to improve my skill in playing a wonderful instrument - the piano. The melodies and various movements bring me great joy and I know that it brings others joy as well. I want to start making videos that could bring people happiness in these trying times. I want to help others. Most importantly, I want to help my family, as it hasn’t been easy for us too.
As for my academic passion, I want to make up for lost time. I want to balance my life and bring my A-game to my studies. I want to study and work hard to bring joy to myself and the people around me. There are so many opportunities for me to pursue. A path for wonder and awe if you will. I want to do something great and leave behind this school year without any regrets.
That’s what I want to do, and there are days where I feel like I can’t do it.
In those moments, I remember the changing states that the Golden State Warriors had. Cold streaks, injuries, even a season of unimaginable losing. There are bad times in life. There are days where things just don’t go my way. I may lose from time to time. But it’s okay, there’s something for me to learn in every situation, and I can still move forward and pursue my goals and passions.
It’s what I see that matters, what I do with it that determines the future I want to have.
Comments