NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: MAVERICKS VS. WARRIORS

May 20, 2022

Stephen Curry

Golden State Warriors

Game 2: Postgame

Golden State 126, Dallas 117

Q. The "MVP" chants that started to echo, they weren't for you, they were for Kevon Looney. What was that experience like for you?

STEPHEN CURRY: Amazing fan interaction. That's how it's supposed to be. He's been playing amazing. Making his impact felt on both ends of the floor. When you get your home crowd appreciating the input from everybody and making them nervous at the free-throw line, it's special, special. The way he came back, the way we all came back, and fought to the end.

Q. With everything he's been through in his career with the injuries, what was it like to see him have a career night tonight in a game when you needed him most with Draymond running into foul trouble?

STEPHEN CURRY: I think we've been talking about it all year in terms of him playing all 82 games, Game 6 of the last series, coming back into the starting lineup and just dominating the boards. And now he's finding a new way to impact the defensive end obviously, and then being in the right place, right time, finishing around the rim, career high, most he's had in however long. It's amazing to see him just take the experience of being around these last seven years and being ready for his opportunity in different series. You could tell he's got composure, he's got experience and just the know-how. And whether he's playing 30-whatever minutes or not, he's ready.

Q. When we asked Steve Kerr about Kevon, he said he's every guy's favorite guy. Why do you think that is?

STEPHEN CURRY: Without going into like his history, he's just been through a lot. From his rookie year to he's playing minutes in the Finals to now, like he's just adapted to things that have been thrown at him. You could tell how this year, him being available was the biggest thing he wanted to accomplish. We see the work that he's put in to make that a reality. Now in the playoffs, just taking that next step.

He brings a lot of joy to what we do in the locker room. I'll call him like the muse in the locker room. He kind of just has a great demeanor about him. He's the bridge between the vets and the young guys. Pretty awesome to see him adapt to that role.

Q. You've been playing really well in the fourth quarters. Did that make the wait longer this time? You got in for a full six minutes, maybe for the first time in the playoffs?

STEPHEN CURRY: That's the flow of the game. It's amazing to see -- we all know this is a team game. The ability for everybody to step up, and the way that game went. In the second quarter I tried to hit a couple shots to keep us in it and give us some life. It's 14 points. Then we battled back to be down two. End of the third, our defense was amazing. And that first six minutes, JP, Loon, Otto, Klay, they all made shots and gave us a nice lead where we could steal a couple minutes here and there. Got back in and we were able to finish the job.

The confidence we have in everybody who is out there to step up and make plays, you feel that flow and you don't want to kind of interrupt it, even though these are important minutes. JP, Loon, Otto, especially, they did their job, and helped seal that win for us.

Q. What's been your obsession with bedtime in these playoffs?

STEPHEN CURRY: I have no idea. You can tell I don't choreograph none of that stuff. Just having fun. You talk about having kids, you know how bedtime routines are important. It's the final signal for a job well done that day. So pretty special.

Q. Steve said at halftime he talked about poise and letting the game come to you guys after it had been a little scattered in the first half, and to see that third quarter, you guys shine in third quarters, and for Otto to hit the three to take the lead, what did that moment feel like, the momentum shift?

STEPHEN CURRY: I think you have to start with how the game kind of began. Like we knew they were going to come out aggressive making shots. We didn't think they were going to be that hot. No matter what we did, seemed like they always found the right guy, the right guy had no hesitation to shoot it and they were making them from all over the floor. They had 15 threes in the first half. It felt like a lot.

But also, you look up at the scoreboard, we got it down to two at one point and it ballooned back up. We got it down to 14, and 14 for us is more than manageable if we come out and influence the game starting on the defensive end. You limit them to 13 points, it wasn't like a flurry, but it just seemed like we regained the momentum and slowly, methodically walked them down until that point like the first six minutes of the fourth quarter was kind of the real momentum shift. It gave the crowd some life. It gave us life and allowed us to run away with the win.

Q. When you guys are going on a run and you know that it's coming, and you guys have been through it so many times, can you sense the inexperience on their side, maybe not panic, but that they haven't been here before compared to you guys having been here before? Can you sense that on the floor?

STEPHEN CURRY: No, it's not just that. It's just the supreme confidence in what we do. You don't really know what they are talking about in the huddle and you don't really feel what's going through their mind. It's just you have imposed your will. Like for us, the experience and just the chemistry.

Obviously this group is different, but we have that attitude and that spirit where we feel like we are never out of it. I think only one game in this playoff run so far that we've been severely outmatched from start to finish. But that belief then turns into execution in the game, and you can feel the momentum. It's more just focused on what we do, and when you have those opportunities to stick the dagger or come up with three stops in a row, those are the times where you feel that good energy going our way.

Q. Secondly, do you think they heard you when you said "night-night" on that last three? Because you were right in front of Dallas's bench.

STEPHEN CURRY: I was looking at the ball and looking at the rim, so I was talking to myself. I don't know who heard it. It's a good way to finish the game, and we got to take that into Game 3.

Q. That's not choreographed at all? That's just in rhythm, you just decide to say that?

STEPHEN CURRY: Absolutely.

Q. You mention the 15 threes in the first half, a lot of it was guard-to-guard screens. What didn't you guys do covering some of that well in the first half and what did you do better in the third?

STEPHEN CURRY: We got caught on -- they obviously were trying to go at me and JP in pick-and-roll. Couple times we got confused, didn't put pressure on the ball and they were kind of, Luka get wherever he wanted to. He obviously made a couple tough shots, but the decisions were I think a lot easier for him in the first half where somebody was open, whether it was him off the ball screen or him getting downhill, kicking it back out and us kind of scrambling. Then they made a couple -- I think they all made a couple tough ones.

You didn't want to overreact, but also we got a lot better on the ball, just trying to keep bodies on Luka. Close out to the shooters that we know are hot, and then rebound the ball so that that's our best offense.

When you're fouling and when they are making shots, especially dagger threes, it's tough to really gain any momentum. Things shifted our way.

Q. Are there times when you're feeling maybe the defense isn't all the way focused on you as much as it has been, and maybe a little bit to Jordan, there's always one play where you took it down the left side of the lane and Brunson just took a half step to you and ran out to Jordan, and he had the open lane and he wasn't helping on you, do you remember that or are you feeling this where the floor slightly different when Jordan is out there?

STEPHEN CURRY: Absolutely, and he's more than capable as a ball handler and playmaker to take advantage of that.

There are times where me or Klay are off the ball and we know they are not really going to leave us or help, , and he's amazing at taking advantage of that and getting to the paint, crafty finishes.

There's couple times in transition, I remember the end of the second quarter, he was coming down the left side. Everybody is focused on him and his speed, getting to the basket, and he found me on the right wing and I knocked it down. Opportunities like that.

There's a lot of trust in being able to put the ball in his hands. You have to know what you're going to try to take away. He's been amazing at finding the seams. Him and Looney had great chemistry tonight. It's nice to have another ball handler that can take advantage of those looks.

Q. Two Klay dunks in the second half, they are taking away his three, how important was it for him to do what he did, pressure the rim?

STEPHEN CURRY: That's two games in a row where he's figured out over the course of his minutes the different looks. They're literally not even taking a body off him no matter where he's at. Playing the pin-downs pretty well.

So he's gotten a couple backdoor cuts in Game 1. He got some pump-fake drives where there's no help getting all the way to the basket. There's space out there and we just have to really take our time and take what they are giving us. Over the course of 48, you'll find some clean looks. When we get in trouble is when we try to just -- we don't react. We just have our mind made up and no matter what they do, we might take some tough shots or some quick shots. Plays right into their hands.

Q. We're used to seeing you and Klay and Draymond on a stage like this, pressure like this, comebacks like this but it's new for Wiggins and Porter and Jordan. What are you learning about those guys in moments like this, games like this, and do you sense the bravado of you guys who have been there before bring to the table that that seeps into everybody and raises them a little?

STEPHEN CURRY: Yes, to all that. Something that's been slowly building over the course of the regular season. Didn't always show on the court but like the roles and how we play on both ends of the floor, I think everybody is very comfortable in what they are asked to do.

Even Wiggs, like where he has a tough challenge of chasing Luka pretty much everywhere, every time he's out there on the floor, every minute he's out there. He understands he's going to get scored on because Luka is nice like that. But over the course of 48, we figure out how to wear him down a little bit and how he can go back at him on the offensive end. Otto, same way. He hit a big three in the fourth quarter, just being aggressive and ready for his moment.

We try to bring that attitude, and those guys are really demonstrating the moment is not too bright for them. We need everybody's contribution because this team is different than years past.