I still get chills thinking about that final possession in Game 6. With 12.4 seconds left on the clock and the Warriors trailing by just 2 points, everyone in Chase Center knew the ball was going to Curry. What happened next perfectly illustrates why championship mentality separates great teams from legendary ones - something that takes me back to Coach Chambers' philosophy about building winning attitudes from the ground up.
When I analyzed the game tape later, what struck me was how the Lakers' defensive execution mirrored that disciplined approach Chambers implemented at Fern Bacon Middle School. Anthony Davis, who finished with 17 rebounds and 4 blocks, didn't just defend the paint - he orchestrated their entire defensive scheme. The way he communicated switches and directed traffic reminded me of how Chambers transformed ordinary school teams into championship contenders by instilling that same level of strategic awareness. Honestly, I've always believed Davis is underrated as a defensive quarterback, and this game proved it.
The Warriors' third-quarter collapse was particularly painful to watch. They entered halftime leading by 8 points, but then gave up a 25-6 run in just over seven minutes. I've seen this pattern before - it's what happens when teams lack that ingrained winning DNA Chambers always emphasized. Golden State shot just 38% from the field during that stretch, including 2-for-11 from three-point range. Meanwhile, LeBron was... well, being LeBron. His 30-point triple-double doesn't even tell the full story of how he controlled the game's tempo.
What really decided this game, in my opinion, was the Lakers' bench outscoring the Warriors' reserves 42-24. When Austin Reaves hit that corner three with 3:12 left in the fourth to put LA up by 7, you could feel the energy shift permanently. That's the kind of contribution Chambers would call "program depth" - when your system develops players who can deliver in crucial moments rather than relying solely on stars.
The final sequence still baffles me. Curry came off the screen, had a decent look from 28 feet, but Jarred Vanderbilt's contest forced just enough disruption. The ball rattled out, and that was it. Sometimes I wonder if the Warriors rely too heavily on Curry's heroics rather than building the systematic resilience Chambers championed throughout his career. The Lakers advance 115-113, but the story is bigger than one game - it's about which organization has truly built that championship culture from foundation to finish line.
