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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: WARRIORS vs ROCKETS

May 28, 2018

Stephen Curry

Houston, Texas: Game Seven

Warriors - 101, Rockets - 92

Q. Both Steve [Kerr] and Klay [Thompson] said kind of the knowledge that it only really takes two minutes of really good basketball for you guys to get into any game. That's what kind of keeps you guys locked in at halftime. How much do you think that breaks opponents, kind of that they know that, too, that in just two minutes everything can change?
STEPHEN CURRY: I think most of the situation how that came out in the first six minutes, first quarter was a testament to that kind of mindset, knowing they had to give us their best points early, and if we could just withstand it -- we didn't execute well in the first half. So a lot of that was kind of our fault.

But their intensity and their effort and physicality was pretty strong in that first half. We just had to weather the storm a little bit, especially in this building. And it is a full 48-minute game. For us to have the firepower to kind of turn the momentum to our side pretty quickly, you know, get some stops, make some shots, and start to feel a little bit better about ourselves, it was a fun night all the way around. Obviously stressful, but fun.

Q. First of all, given how you did everything in the book that Steve didn't want you to do, including foul them every time in the first minute and turning it over so much, how do you avoid feeling like, man, this might not be our night? Maybe we aren't going to win this game?
STEPHEN CURRY: I don't know. I mean, as a competitor, you hope that thought never really creeps in, especially in a moment like a Game 7 where there is still time on the clock, there are still opportunities to change the momentum.

I think I said after the game there was a calmness at halftime in the locker room because we knew how bad we were playing. Looked up and we were down 10 or whatever, 11. Knew that we had been in this situation before. Obviously, not in this building, where we could really just lock back in, get some stops.

Like I said, just change the momentum to our side. I think it was just a level of experience and maturity from our group that helped us get to the finish line.

Q. Given how poorly you were playing, what is it that makes you most proud of tonight?
STEPHEN CURRY: There was a moment in the first half, I think Draymond [Green] turned it over to James [Harden] in the transition, and he got a dunk. That's a point where you can have guys doing a lot of finger pointing and blaming and getting on their feelings. But there was a moment during that timeout after Coach called it, where it was just really productive. Everybody was like let's just move on. Get it together, find a way to get through this little rough patch and just find ourselves. It just took a while.

So I think that moment it could have splintered, to be honest. It could have been a moment where guys went their separate ways. But I think the way that we fought all year and the way that this team is built with the chemistry we have, that got us through that little rough patch. I think we used that to our advantage.

Q. When you look at the first half, what were the things that you think contributed to your shots not falling right away? Then what kind of fueled that run that you usually have in the second half?
STEPHEN CURRY: They say two basketballs can fit inside the hoop at one time, that's kind of how big they are, and for some reason, I couldn't figure it out. Then eventually kept shooting the same shots and they go in.

So it might sound like a broken record, but I never lose confidence in myself. Almost have a sense of like amnesia. When you get out there, if you have a shot, take it. Don't even worry about what's happened up until that point.

The third quarter was great again tonight, so I'm glad I finally figured it out.

Q. Is there a magic between you and the third quarter?
STEPHEN CURRY: I don't know. I mean, obviously I've been playing well in the third quarter this series. It's a point where, like I always say, it's a full 48-minute game. You have to have endurance, you've got to have resiliency, you've got to have confidence in yourself, no matter how the game's going up until that point, that you can turn it around.

It's been great to come out of the locker room kind of focused, locked in, made some shots, get some stops, and just have fun. Obviously, thankfully tonight with the way the first half went, it was like clockwork, so it was good.

Q. I just saw you in the hallway; you were holding one of your daughters, and you were like this. Can you share your thoughts at this moment?
STEPHEN CURRY: This is a special moment. We talked about it leaving this building after Game 5, this was a part of our story that we hadn't been through before. Our backs against the wall, not having home-court advantage, needing to win two games to keep ourselves alive.

This is a true testament to how hard it is to get to The Finals, how hard it is to have a chance to play for a championship.

I think as well, a testament to how great Houston is as a team and the fight that they put up this whole series to try to take us out of our game and to really, really challenge us all the way down to the fourth quarter of a Game 7.

There's a lot of just built-up anxiety, I guess, about this moment. When you walk off the court with a win and get this fancy hat, it's a good feeling.

We had to work for it, and you've got to appreciate the moment.

Somebody asked, it's four years in a row getting to The Finals, do you appreciate it? Yes, because it's really hard. So all the smiles and embraces you have with your teammates, your coaches, it's well deserved.

Q. Can you talk a little bit more about that? You talked about your firepower. But knowing the tough starts you had in the last two games, is that more the Rockets or you guys just not in your groove?
STEPHEN CURRY: It's a combination of both. I mean, they were pretty physical, trying to switch every screen and take us out of our rhythm on the offensive end. Knowing how great James is as a player, early in the series they found a way to assert themselves early.

But for us, just keeping our composure was big for us the entire series. Whether we figured it out, win or loss, we showed a lot of fight, a lot of grit and resiliency to stay positive as we went through the series, no matter what the situation was. I think that helped us stay locked in in Game 6 and 7 with our backs against the wall to get a win.

Tonight, the way they played, they played amazing. We played just a little bit better in the second half and got it done.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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