San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills says devastating injury blows have brought the team closer together, adamant they will rally for game two of the western conference finals on Wednesday.
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But coach Gregg Popovich fired a broadside Golden State Warriors player Zaza Pachulia after he collided with Spurs star Kawhi Leonard in the opening game of the series.
Leonard couldn't continue and the Warriors rallied from 23 points behind to clinch a 113-111 win.
Leonard is also set to miss game two in Oakland, heaping more pressure on Canberra's Mills as the rest of the Spurs as they attempt to level the series.
Mills said injuries to Leonard and Tony Parker had not dented the Spurs' confidence despite playing against the team many regard as the best in the NBA.
"Kawhi is obviously a big loss, but we have a great opportunity," Mills said.
"The belief still within the group is that no matter who is on the floor or not, we've got a great opportunity and we believe we can go and get this done.
"We've grown closer as a group as the season as gone on and that belief and trust in one another is so important. We have that.
"Our preparation and mindset is the same. I think it's brought us together ... it's a test of character. We understand we have to come together to be able to do this as a group."
Popovich unleashed on Pachulia after the Spurs surrendered a massive game-one lead when Leonard was forced to leave the court with an ankle injury.
Leonard landed on Pachulia's foot after taking a jump shot and Popovich didn't hold back.
"How much more difficult is it? How would it be if [Warriors star Steph] Curry didn't play? How much more difficult would that be? I'm not a happy camper, but that's a silly question," Popovich said.
"A two-step, lead-with-your-foot closeout is not appropriate. It's dangerous, it's unsportsmanlike, it's just not what anybody does to anybody else. And this particular individual has a history with that kind of action.
"We're playing very possibly the best team in the league. You know, we don't know what's going to happen in the east.
"Nine point seven five people out of 10 would figure the Warriors will beat the Spurs. Well, we've had a pretty damn good season. We've played fairly well in the playoffs.
"I think we're getting better, and we're up 23 points in the third quarter against Golden State and Kawhi goes down, like that, and you want to know if our chances are less, and you want to know how we feel. That's how we feel."
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME TWO
Wednesday: San Antonio Spurs v Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena, Oakland, 11am. TV time: Live on ESPN.
