Klay Thompson #11 and Quinn Cook #4 of the Golden State Warriors celebrate the play against the Toronto Raptors in the second quarter during Game One of the 2019 NBA Finals at Scotiabank Arena on May 30, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. Gregory Shamus/Getty Images/AFP
MANILA, Philippines—Golden State’s Klay Thompson is known as one of the most stoic players in the league, rarely showing emotion during games and his words following the Warriors’ 118-109 Game 1 loss to Toronto spoke volumes of his character.
Thompson said it’s too early for the Warriors to get into panic mode and that they will respond to the adversity as the defending champions.
“Our goal was to get one, and it’s still on the table for us, I know we’ll respond like the champions we are,” said Thompson in the post-game press conference h/t to Bleacher Report.
READ: Warriors sputter at times, fall in Game 1 of NBA Finals
The Warriors are on their fifth straight Finals appearance, winning three of the last four. The only other team in NBA history to make at least six consecutive trips to the Finals are Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics who had 10 appearances in succession.
What made this series different, though, is that it was the first time the Warriors dropped the opening game under Steve Kerr.
READ: Raptors draw first blood, thump Warriors in 1st NBA finals appearance
This is also the first time that the Warriors didn’t face LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the finals, a scenario that Thompson acknowledged as unfamiliar for them.
“We’re not very familiar with this team, but that’s no excuse,” said Thompson who had 21 points and five rebounds.
The Warriors can tie the series on Monday in Game 2.