It hadn’t been long into the basketball game—the opening tip-off to be exact—between the Golden State Warriors and the Portland Trail Blazers on Nov. 18 before I started clearly venting my emotions. “Pass the ball! Don’t shoot it you idiot!” “What the hell ref? Are you blind?”

This went on for a while, but the players didn’t seem to respond to my screams at the TV. Or at least not until Warriors guard, Anthony Morrow, took his first shot.

This was only his second game starting in the NBA—the first time had been a couple nights before then. He was clearly the best player on the court the last time he played, and I, as well as other people supporting the Warriors, was hoping to see more out of him. I saw the first shot he took go in, and it was just too perfect. I knew this guy was talented, and I had to encourage him to keep going.

I noticed the entire crowd shared my opinion as they began to cheer for him in his efforts along with me. It's really fun and easy to cheer for a rookie looking to make it big in the NBA.

Now, I was not only yelling at the TV in support of my team anymore, but I was also supporting this player. I wanted him to shoot the ball every time the Warriors got it. “Give it to Morrow, give it to Morrow!” I kept yelling at the TV. “If your jersey doesn’t say 'Morrow' printed on the back, you aren’t allowed to shoot,” I said in opposition to all other players on the court.

He took another shot, and once again, nothing but net. The crowd erupted in support of this undrafted rookie: an unexpected hero. And he wasn't only my hero. He was a Warriors hero, at least for the night. The more shots he made, the more everyone loved him.

All this encouragement pumped Morrow up to help him make multiple shots. He thrived off the cheering of the crowd and became ecstatic himself. The Warriors went on to win the game thanks to the play of this rookie who emerged from nowhere.

It seemed that straining my voice was helping something. Yelling at the TV in support of this nobody became beneficial. Well, even if it didn’t, I would like to think so. I helped the Warriors win from my own living room.