If the Golden State Warriors are worried as they head into Game 6 of the Western Conference finals on the brink of elimination Josh Gordon Jersey , they aren’t showing it.

”We have a chance to tie the series at home. That’s a pretty good position to be in,” coach Steve Kerr said. ”We’ve got to win two basketball games and we’ve done that an awful lot, so we’re very confident.”

The defending champions trail Houston 3-2 in the best-of-seven series after consecutive wins by the Rockets, capped by Thursday night’s 98-94 victory . Now the series shifts to Oracle Arena, a place where the Warriors have lost just one time in their last 17 playoff games.

Stephen Curry said the Warriors are encouraged despite falling behind in the series because they believe both games could have gone their way and that a few simple corrections will get them back on track.

”We have an opportunity to re-establish ourselves at home, get a big win, keep ourselves alive, and then roll the dice into Game 7,” Curry said. ”Not all is lost.”

Houston’s big win in Game 5 was tempered by a hamstring injury to star Chris Paul which will keep him out of Saturday’s game. It’s a major blow for a team which is looking to reach the NBA Finals for the first time in more than two decades.

The Rockets believe they can absorb this loss and don’t seem daunted by the setback, noting that they found ways to win in the regular season in many games where Paul sat out with injuries.

”I don’t have a doubt,” D’Antoni said. ”They see the challenge … whether CP’s there or not, it’s a heck of a challenge Will Hernandez Color Rush Jersey , and they’re up to it. They’re looking forward to it.”

James Harden, who has struggled offensively in the last two games and went 0 for 11 on 3s in Game 5, rolled his eyes when asked if Paul’s injury puts more pressure on him.

”Pressure for what? It’s Game 6 of the Western Conference finals,” he said. ”There is pressure on everybody.”

While that may be true, the onus is on Harden to step up and deliver an MVP-caliber performance if the Rockets hope to close out this series. Harden has had plenty of playoff disappointments in the last few years and embraces the chance to get Houston back into the finals.

”It’s an opportunity that a lot of people never had and probably won’t ever have,” he said. ”It’s our job to go out there and have fun with it and do the same thing we’ve been doing. We want to take advantage of it.”

While the Rockets will be down a starter, the Warriors could get one back if Andre Iguodala can return on Saturday. The Warriors have missed the defensive presence of Iguodala who has missed the last two games with a bruised left knee.

Iguodala is listed on the injury report as questionable for Game 6 and Kerr said he didn’t have an update on his condition on Friday. But he did address what it would mean to Golden State if he’s healthy enough to go on Saturday.

”He’s a great player,” Kerr said. ”He’s one of our keys, and we’ve missed him the last two games. But we can’t count on it. Injuries happen, and you’ve just got to play with whoever’s out there. So we’re hoping he’s back, and we’ll see what happens.”

Iguodala’s absence has been magnified in this series that has morphed into a defensive slugfest instead of the high-scoring shootout that most expected when it began. The Rockets take great pride in the fact that they’ve limited Golden State to less than 100 points in the last two games and think continuing to play great defense is the only way they’ll advance.

”It’s something we talked about building up all year,” Houston’s P.J. Tucker said. ”To see our defense now be as good as it is M.J. Stewart Jersey Buccaneers , we still think it could be a lot better. We watched film, and honestly … we didn’t play great defense last night. Everybody will talk about how good a defense we played, but we really don’t feel like that. So just keep working and trying to get better.”

Kerr said the experience of his team, which is trying to reach the finals for the fourth straight year, will be valuable as the Warriors try and climb out of this hole and force Game 7. He referenced the conference finals in 2016 when they fell behind Oklahoma City 3-1 before winning the next three to take the series.

”We’ve been here before,” Kerr said. ”We’ve faced elimination on the road before – this team has – a few years ago. We faced series deficits before. We’ve won all of those series. Our guys have the ultimate confidence that we can get it done this time, too.”

Jon Gruden is football through and through. It doesn't matter what level, what age, or where.

The former and now current coach of the Raiders displayed that again Tuesday by overseeing the distribution of funds and equipment to four Oakland youth football programs through the DICK'S Sporting Goods Sports Matter Program. Gruden has been a major spokesman for that initiative for more than four years.

In the afternoon at Raiders headquarters, Gruden presented grants of $15,000 to the head coaches of McClymonds High School and Oakland Tech. He invited the coaches of both teams to the Raiders main office for a "special behind- the-scenes tour" and discussion of football in Oakland. When the tour ended, Gruden handed over the checks to the surprised coaches.

At night http://www.billsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jeremy-kerley-jersey , coaches and players from the East Bay Panthers and San Leandro Crusaders headed to a "friendly scrimmage" at Burrell Field. When the teams ran onto the field, they were stunned to see new football helmets, pads, balls and water bottles laid out on the field for them.

Each league received a $50,000 grant.

"Being back in Oakland and getting back into coaching has only fired me up more to work with DICK'S Sports Matter program to help more kids have the opportunity to play," said Gruden, who also gave the Panthers and Crusaders a pep talk. "Like so many other cities in the U.S., we have an issue with youth sports funding here in Oakland. Costs are rising 鈥?kids can't afford to play and coaches can't afford to coach.

"Seeing these kids' faces light up and knowing that sports will teach them so many valuable lessons they will carry with them off the field is really special."

Gruden encourages other youth sports program struggling to get by "to visit SportsMatter.org to apply for help."

"If you give your absolute best effort on the field, the lessons that sports teach will stay with you forever, and help you to be your best in every part of your life," he said.

Oakland has an 18.9 percent poverty rate, and the highest crime rate of any city in California.

Many areas in cities across the country need funding for their youth sports and school athletic programs. According to Up2Us Sports Cheap Customized New Orleans Saints Jerseys , a nonprofit whose research, training, and on-the-ground initiatives empower sports programs to become an agent of positive social change, billions of dollars have been cut from school sports budgets in recent years. These cuts disproportionately impact students in low income areas, and students from low-income families are four times more likely to decrease participation in sports due to costs.

Student athletes have an 11 percent higher graduation rate than non-athletes, Up2Us Sports reports. The U.S. Department of Education adds that students who participate in sports are four times more likely to attend college.

DICK'S and its foundation created Sports Matter in 2014, pledging more than $50 million to support youth sports programs in need and raise awareness of the funding crisis. To date, Sports Matter has helped fund tens of thousands of youth sports programs and impacted hundreds of thousands of young athletes nationwide.

"It's days like today that make it all worth it, and we can't thank coach Gruden and DICK'S enough," said Jacob Davis, president of the East Bay Panthers. "We love these kids and know how important sports are to keep them off the streets and doing positive things in their lives. This money will go a long way in helping our leagues survive and thrive."

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