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NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS: ROCKETS vs WARRIORS

April 28, 2019

Steph Curry

Oakland, California: Game One

Warriors - 104, Rockets - 100

Q. What do you take from this game in general, just the things you liked about the way you guys played and maybe some things you want to work on?
STEPH CURRY: Our turnovers, we've got to get better at that, get better possessions. It's always interesting, that first game against a new team, a new series, where even though we're very familiar with what they do, you still gotta adjust, see the pictures clearly on offense, where the driving lanes are, where the spacing should be, just playing under control. Those are things we could get better at.

Defensively, continue to do a good job of being mindful of fouls -- or do a better job I should say to myself. And I think the great thing is we kept our composure all game. I felt like we never really lost control of the game, even when they went on a couple of runs.

KD was special down the stretch in the fourth quarter. Everybody was locked in defensively trying to make them take tough shots, and you live with the makes and misses. Rebounding the basketball, and obviously it's just a matter of getting a win is huge to start the series.

Q. When you went back in with six and a half minutes, whatever, left, with the five fouls, you were still playing pretty aggressive defense and I would say you were reaching a couple times even. How easy it for yourself to forget about the five fouls, forget about the possibility of fouling out or is it out of your mind in that situation?
STEPH CURRY: I was mindful of it. I think I got in one situation where the ball was right in front of me and impulses take over. But for the most part -- I can't be passive but I can be smart. And I've talked about it a lot since, what, Game 2 of the Clipper series, I'm going to figure it out eventually.

Q. We also asked Steve about the foul problems and he even said he went as far as to ask your mom to help out with that. Did that happen? And is there any way to avoid being at the mercy of the ref's whistles?
STEPH CURRY: There's going to be calls that go either way every game. But the ones, like I talked about, where blatant reaches or ones that I can avoid for sure, that's where you get in situations where it puts your butt on the bench.

So I mean, honestly, there's no reason I should be in that position after how many questions I've been asked about it, how disappointing it is when I mess up the rotation with fouls. So we won the game tonight. Got away with it, gotta be better.

Q. What is your thoughts about the way Kevin's been playing, end of the last series and going into this first game?
STEPH CURRY: He's been amazing. He's been so aggressive on the offensive end, found his matchups, taking his shots. Defensively he's been present. He just understands kind of what we need when we need it. And he's been playing with ultimate confidence. I know he always has confidence but seems like it's been amped up a little bit in the last five games.

So we need more of that. Understand how hard it is to win one playoff game, let alone a series. And we all gotta contribute as well and play Warrior basketball, as well as him doing what he's doing.

Q. We always talk about the players showing urgency, having energy at the beginning. Did the coaching staff show you some energy by going to Andre right off the bat, Game 1 of a series? Usually these things happen later by playing Kevin many minutes or others many minutes. Did you see a little more urgency out of the coaching staff too?
STEPH CURRY: We had a quick turnaround and we obviously are very familiar with what they do and what matchups have historically worked. But, again, it's on the players. And when we don't do it, we get called out. But when we do it's nice that that vibe and that energy is kind of contagious to start the game.

Draymond was unbelievable in that aspect defensively and to turn those into fastbreak opportunities, pushing it, he's play making early, and showed a different level of intensity that we all fed off.

And I know he took responsibility for Game 5 in the Clipper series. Seemed like he was definitely purposeful about his energy to start the game and that helped us.

Q. You've been next to Klay for several years. Is he talking more trash? Is he more, like, confident out there?
STEPH CURRY: Who was he talking trash to?

Q. I don't know.
STEPH CURRY: You said he's talking trash. What did you say?

Q. Looked like he's really talkative out there, like, he's really confident --
STEPH CURRY: I saw him a couple times after a couple of questionable foul calls whatever getting real amped. And I don't know who he was talking to, whether he's talking to himself or whatever.

But I like to engage Klay. Whatever that means, where we see his passion and his awareness of what's going on. And you can see how much playing well and being in those moments means to him for sure.

But I don't know who he's talking to or if it's trash talk or whatever. But it's just an engaged Klay that we need.

Q. It's been kind of a hard thing for you to kind of get -- to kind of gain momentum and get stability as far as your game goes. How gratifying was it to hit that dagger of a 3 at the end of the game? You kind of weren't able to get established early on.
STEPH CURRY: Just gotta make plays when the moment is calling for it. My reaction was I just needed one to go down. It was obviously a big one. So thankfully I hit it. Gave us a little cushion and able to win the game.

So every game's different. Game 2 we have to continue to be a little more aggressive, understanding the defensive style that they play and try to create, whether that's getting shots up, play making for my teammates, whatever it is. Full 48 out there. So it was a nice moment for sure.

Q. You and Klay both obviously rolled your ankles but you played a lot of minutes tonight. How much did the medical staff get you guys ready to go tonight and will get you ready to go on Tuesday?
STEPH CURRY: Yesterday was a long day. In the treatment room for a long time. And they were unbelievably helpful in terms of getting us ready to play and giving us the best opportunity to be out there and not let this be a lingering effect throughout the series.

So I think we got through Game 1 fine and still more work to do in terms of making sure we get back to 100 percent. But with less than 48-hour turnaround from the last series from Game 6 to Game 1, it's mission accomplished. And now getting ready for Tuesday is going to be another grind and we'll be ready to go.

Q. James Harden shoot 9-for-28 from (indiscernible). And he caused three times a 24-second violation. What's key to the defense?
STEPH CURRY: He's an amazing player. And he's always on the attack and you've got to be aware of every possession where he's at. And Coach talked about it; we obviously needed that first line of defense, whoever is guarding him to try to make it tough on him.

But at the end of the day, it's all five guys being on a string and being able to help and recover out to the shooters and things like that.

And understanding how much he has the ball in his hands is tough. You can't get deflated if he makes a tough shot. The best thing we can do is just, again, not foul unnecessarily and just make him take tough shots.

And he can -- next game it could be the same defensive intensity and he could make a couple more, but the approach has to be the same, the attention to detail and awareness of all five guys. It's a long series, so just gotta try and wear on him as much as possible.

Q. What are the things that you need to consider in winning this playoff and advancing to the Finals? And since 100 million Filipinos are very excited with you, Steph Curry, what can you say?
STEPH CURRY: This is a great opportunity every time you're playing on this stage in the playoffs, it's so much fun and competition is high. And the spotlight from around the world is on you. So our mission is to take it one game at a time. Doesn't matter how it looks, as long as you win.

And our confidence is high and what we're capable of. And getting the Game 1 win was huge. Gotta continue to build momentum throughout the series.

Q. These two teams are obviously very familiar with each other after playing in the playoffs and during the regular season. Did you notice any difference with the way that they were guarding you tonight, or are they just doing kind of the same schemes?
STEPH CURRY: They like to switch a lot. And they have very capable defenders on their side that you gotta be aware of. But for the most part a lot of our turnovers are just rushing and not having the floor as spaced as we wanted to.

We had moments where we figured it out and we got the ball moving and made them make multiple decisions on defense. But if we get those turnovers down, just get shots up, we know good things will happen.

So with that quick turnaround, again, it's tough to adjust from one style of defense that the Clippers play to tonight. But we figured it out, got the win and we'll be better Game 2 for sure.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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