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NBA FINALS: CLEVELAND VS GOLDEN STATE

June 4, 2017

Stephen Curry

Oakland, California: Postgame

Warriors - 132, Cavaliers - 113

Q. This is your first ever triple double in the Playoffs, and you played a great game. Do you see anything you didn't like about your game?
STEPHEN CURRY: There's an eight on the stat sheet that I need to correct when we go to Cleveland, because the points that I gave up off turnovers in their building will electrify the crowd and their team and the things that we have to eliminate. So I'm obviously hard on myself and my own biggest critic at times, and that's something that I can control, just being smarter with the ball.

Obviously did a lot of other great things and tried to impact the game across the board, other than just scoring and a total team effort tonight with how we played and withstood their first punch coming out of the first quarter.

So a lot of positives. That's one thing I need to correct going into Game 3, give ourself more possessions, and good things will happen.

Q. There was a rare moment/opportunity in the third quart where LeBron was guarding you one-on-one, do you relish those moments?
STEPHEN CURRY: It's basketball, man, I mean, every possession have the opportunity to impact the game, doesn't matter who really is across from you, you don't get into the one-on-one matchups, especially on this stage because you get distracted from how you're supposed to be playing. Obviously he's a great defender, so if you have opportunities, you know you have to do something pretty special to score.

But for the most part, you can't focus on like you're on the playground, it's just y'all two out there, that doesn't do you any good in those situations.

Q. You had a pretty solid reaction following that lay-in, though.
STEPHEN CURRY: Oh, yeah, it was a big moment. It was a momentum swing. Coach got on me at halftime about my body language and just trying to play with passion and play with joy. The turnovers kind of got underneath my skin a little bit and I was letting it effect how I was kind of -- my mannerisms too much. And in that moment, big momentum swing, us trying to separate us from -- or continue to get a lead. And going into the timeout, you want to have some fun and enjoy that moment.

Q. Along those lines of that sequence, what did you see, I mean, you dribbled down, you came back up, you dribbled kind of circles around him, and then went left to score. I mean, how do you decide on a sequence like that?
STEPHEN CURRY: Honestly, I was rushing to begin with because I felt like there was an angle here, an angle there, and there wasn't because a huge crowd around on that right side of the floor. And then I was able to kind of reset back behind the three-point line, and you kind of just give a little hesitation that you're make them think you're going to shoot and just try to go around him. And at that point I was a little bit more composed than earlier in that possession. I was just kind of like a chicken with my head cut off, just running circles. So that was kind of a microcosm of the game, we were rushing a lot. In those situations, you try to keep it simple and just make a play.

Q. And how much did -- how much fun was it to see what Klay was able to do tonight to kind of get back on a roll offensively?
STEPHEN CURRY: It's always great to see. We're never worried about him and his shooting or anything and spotlight that's on that. He does so much for us on the defensive end, his presence just on the floor as a threat to shoot even if he doesn't get an attempt up. But definitely when's making shots, and a lot of timely shots tonight, they were huge. I know he didn't lose confidence in himself, at all, and knew he was helping us win, even though he wasn't shooting the ball well. And tonight things turned around and in his favor, and hopefully he's created a little bit of momentum for himself going into Game 3.

Q. When did you learn about Steve Kerr, that he would be coaching tonight, and what did his return mean to the team?
STEPHEN CURRY: I found out when y'all found out. I think I just got into the arena and kind heard he was doing his press conference and giving the update. So the interesting thing is he's been around a good amount the last two weeks, even the last three or four games, even in the San Antonio series he was a part of the pregame routine and video prep and just giving us some pointers here and there. And then obviously at halftime showing his face and giving us what he had.

So the whole pregame process was all the same tonight, it was just a matter of him showing up on the bench and giving us that energy. And it's always great to see. It was a great moment for him and for the crowd and everybody showing their appreciation for all he's been through. And to see him back on the bench was huge. And for him the whole priority was his health, and I think he's in a good place right now.

Q. Draymond was in here earlier and said he thought you were the most locked in you've ever been in your career. Do you feel that?
STEPHEN CURRY: Yeah, I'm playing with a lot of energy, that's the biggest thing. Trying to be aggressive every opportunity I have. I think there's another level that I can get to. Talked about with the first question tonight about just being smart with the ball, so there is another level to get to, but just trying to be aggressive and enjoy this moment, man, just playing in The Finals and the journey is unbelievable. I want to keep it going.

Q. You mentioned your turnovers in the first half, what did you see different from Cleveland's defense in the first half compared to Game 1, and what changed for you in the third quarter?
STEPHEN CURRY: I mean, they just played with energy and physicality and aggressiveness, and you had to expect that. This is The Finals, and every game is important, doesn't matter really what happened in Game 1, you knew they were going to come out with a big punch, and we withstood that pretty well in the -- especially in that first to six to eight minutes of the first quarter.

The defense, they changed their lineups a little bit and they went a lot smaller, so they were a little faster around the court and whatnot. My turnovers were mostly just dumb ones for me, just throwing the ball, jumping to pass or to make a play and not knowing what I'm doing with the ball and just slinging it somewhere. Stuff that I can easily correct.

There were a couple they made some athletic plays to get it, but for the most part those are just things that I just need to watch the film and figure out how to slow down and make the simple play. But they're going keep coming, man, there is a lot of work for us left to do. And you got to expect them to play, obviously, better at home. And we're going to need to play better to win on the road.

Q. So last year was the same situation regarding the score, obviously this team's a little different this year, what difference do you see in the Cavs team of this year and what do you guys need to do in order to win Game 3 at the Q?
STEPHEN CURRY: You can compare it to two years ago and last year, just every team, both teams are different. I think we all are -- us especially rely on our experience, knowing what a road game in The Finals in Cleveland is like, the atmosphere is their crowd gets crazy and we have to do the little things to withstand their runs that they're going to make because they're a very talented team. They have two top class players in this league. You got to expect them to shoot better, just naturally being at home. So we have to do the little things, not turn the ball over and continue to keep them off the offensive glass, do our best job keeping them off the free throw line, and try to take away the three-point line as best we can, because those are those momentum swings, like we have here where you let them toe it up on the line and knock them down, that could change momentum really quickly. So we understand that aspect of playing on the road in Cleveland.

Q. The pace of this game, the level of quality of the skill between both teams, how close do you think you guys are the Warriors to playing at your peak level? So far in these two games.
STEPHEN CURRY: I think we have done a lot of things well. But we haven't put together -- every category hasn't been great at the same time. Game 1 we didn't turn the ball over, but we didn't particularly shoot as well as we could. Tonight we shot much better, obviously 51 percent, but had 20 turnovers, so it was a give and take there.

We want to try to do both at the same time. But I think the biggest thing for us is our defense has been amazing. Playing with a lot of energy, playing smart, trying to make them work for everything that they get. They're still going to make tough shots, they're still going to have some special plays and make runs and be a competitive team because they're a great team. So you got to just stick with the program, but there is another level that we can get to, like I said, and hopefully -- and we're going to need it in Cleveland to get a win.

Q. If you have to describe the attitude of the team in the last two games in three words, what would be the three words you would describe the team?
STEPHEN CURRY: Three words? You got to hit your word limit on your story?

Q. I was just looking for the values, for the teamwork, how you describe the team.
STEPHEN CURRY: We just play smart, aggressive, and with joy. That's four words. Damn. I tried. I tried.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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