Steve Kerr on Western Conference Finals Showdown With Rockets: 'We Seem to Be at Our Best When We're Threatened'

Steve Kerr doesn't seem overly worried about the Western Conference Finals.

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The matchup NBA fans have anticipated all season—Rockets vs. Warriors—finally gets underway Monday night. This showdown has all the anticipation and star power the league and its fans could ask for. The Western Conference Finals pit MVP favorite James Harden and new backcourt sidekick Chris Paul against the Warriors' fearsome foursome of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Draymond Green.

The Warriors are slight underdogs on the road in Game 1, but they remain bettors' favorite to win the NBA title. The Rockets won two of three matchups between the teams this season, and Houston arguably had the stronger regular season. Coach Steve Kerr, however, hasn't seemed overly worried about the Western Conference Finals—mainly because his team has been there and done that in the playoffs.

Steve Kerr likes his team's chances. pic.twitter.com/vyYeqyfFDF

But Golden State is not accustomed to starting a series on the road.

"It's different," Kerr said, according to ESPN. "I think our guys, they are taking the challenge, and they're embracing it. They feel like, 'OK, we don't have home court for the first time,' but we seem to be at our best when we are threatened. That's been kind of the M.O. of this team. We're definitely threatened. We're on the road for Game 1, we've never felt that."

The Warriors haven't been the lower-seeded team in a playoff series since 2014, before Kerr was hired.

Veteran Shaun Livingston said starting on the road brings "appropriate fear."

"It's not the norm, but I like it," Livingston explained. "I've done it before at other places, and I like it because it sets that tone. You've got to be ready. Appropriate fear. Coming in, being on the road. You got the opposing fans coming at you. It's fun."

His fellow vet, Andre Iguodala, also seems undaunted.

"There's always like a show wherever we go," Iggy said. "It follows us on the road. Sometimes that gets the best of us. But it's the playoffs. We'll be ready. We have to be."

Can't wait for this one. The game will tip at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.

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