With their backs firmly in opposition to the wall, the Warriors wanted their hobbled celebrity to hold them to a victory.
And boy, did Stephen Curry ever ship.
Curry scored 43 factors — and grabbed 10 rebounds, too — to assist the Warriors come from behind to take Sport 4 of the NBA Finals from the Boston Celtics, 107-97, and even the collection at two video games apiece.
The win provides the Warriors one other street victory in a postseason collection, one thing they've performed in every one of many 27 playoff collection that Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Inexperienced have ever performed in. It additionally signifies that the trio has received two video games in each playoff collection they’ve ever performed in, too.
And whereas Thompson hit some important 3-pointers within the fourth quarter and each Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins gave important performances, June 10, 2022 is about as much as without end be remembered as The Steph Curry Sport.
Right here’s what the Warriors are saying after the sport:
STEVE KERR
On Curry’s efficiency:
Simply gorgeous. The physicality out there may be, you understand, fairly dramatic. I imply, Boston’s bought clearly, greatest protection within the league. Large and highly effective at each place, and for Steph to take that — that sort of stress all sport lengthy and nonetheless be capable to defend on the different finish when they're coming at him reveals you, I believe that is the strongest bodily he’s ever been in his profession, and it’s permitting him to do what he’s doing.
On the emotion Curry confirmed on the night time:
Properly, all people was emotional tonight. Down 2-1, we needed to come out with some desperation and extra physicality than we confirmed in Sport 3. So it was a team-wide sense of aggression and emotion. That began proper from the opening tip. Steph clearly doesn’t usually present loads of emotion, however an evening like tonight warranted it.
On pulling Draymond in the midst of the fourth:
Yeah, we took him out and put Loon in round perhaps the eight-minute mark perhaps, 7:40, which was our plan, anyway. However Loon was taking part in so properly and Jordan Poole was taking part in so properly, so we simply stayed with the group.
We usually do this. Like most coaches, if you happen to’ve bought a gaggle that’s going properly, you simply stick with it. The previous few minutes we simply went to sort of an offense-defense sample with Draymond and Jordan alternating.
On sitting Curry to begin the fourth:
He was not pleased. I felt fairly good about the place we have been. The opposite night time he performed the entire fourth, and I didn’t love the way in which that quarter went, not due to how he performed, however I believe we have been in a fairly great place.
You recognize, to purchase him a couple of minutes in that fourth quarter to begin, I believe to me was necessary. However you by no means know the way it all performs out. You simply sort of go along with your intestine.
On the twenty sixth consecutive playoff collection with a street win:
Properly, you have got a gaggle of fellows who're going to be within the Corridor of Fame sometime: Steph, Klay, Draymond. These guys are the fixed. They've been right here collectively all through that span. So they don't seem to be solely gifted however they're extremely aggressive, and that’s what it takes to win on the street. It's a must to summon that sort of will and depth and fervour, and people guys have that.
KLAY THOMPSON
On Curry displaying emotion:
I believe I've seen him present that a lot emotion, and the center on that man is unimaginable. You recognize, the issues he does we sort of take as a right sometimes, however to go on the market and put us on his again, I imply, we bought to assist him out on Monday. Wow, simply confirmed why he's — stunning he wasn’t a First Group All-NBA man, however no matter, subsequent yr.
On his fourth quarter 3-pointers:
You recognize, I bought some nice seems all night time, and are available playoff time, particularly within the Finals, it’s arduous to get beauty. Groups going to blanket us. So once you get that little, you understand, area, you’ve bought to let it fly. Been on this league too lengthy to ever doubt myself, particularly within the highest pressurized moments. You’ve simply bought to let that factor go and belief your phrase, belief your contact, and fortuitously I made them once they counted. Nonetheless serious about that one I missed on the left wing, nice move from Andrew, however fortunately I've Draymond who made an unimaginable rebound, and I’ll make it on Monday.
On the place Curry’s sport ranks on his resume:
I believe most likely No. 1. I imply, this was practically a must-win sport, and to go on the market and shoot as effectively as he did, and seize 10 rebounds and so they have been attacking him on protection; I imply, his conditioning is second-to-none on this league. Steph performed unimaginable.
On what is required to be bottled up from this night time:
Properly, we've got re-established house court docket once more. We will’t look forward. We’ve bought to play with that very same power within the fourth quarter that we did, carry that Monday. And it’s going to be rocking there in Chase Middle. I can’t wait to see our followers. I do know they're excited. I do know it was rocking in there tonight. So we will’t look forward. Simply be current and embrace your off-day, however then get some good work Sunday. After which when Monday comes, simply reside within the second, since you don’t do your self any good if you happen to’re waiting for Sport 6 or 7 or a championship. You’ve simply bought to embrace these moments. It’s particular to be one of many final two groups taking part in, and I do know we’re all going to carry it Monday. We’re so excited. This was a particular night time for Dub Nation.
STEPH CURRY
On what his efficiency means:
It means all the pieces, realizing the sense of urgency we needed to have tonight to win on the street and maintain some life within the collection, get home-court benefit again and attempt to create some momentum our approach. It was a hard-fought win. I believe the primary quarter actually set the tone. Despite the fact that we have been down one, it was an evening and day distinction between Sport 3 and Sport 4 how we got here out defensively, and that simply provides you sufficient life to resist some tough patches. After which, you understand, discover some runs. We get some stops, get out in transition, guys become involved. And also you give your self an opportunity to win it down the stretch. Happy with all people when it comes to our physicality, our focus, perseverance all through the sport. 2-2 is approach higher than 3-1 going house. Job properly performed tonight.
On if he felt this brewing:
Yeah, once more, it’s sort of how we wished to begin the sport. We depend on Draymond bringing that power and fireplace all through the course of the season, and yr after yr. Felt like we simply needed to let all people know that we have been right here tonight. Whether or not that’s their crowd, their staff, our staff, whoever needs to see that power and that fireside, we feed off of that. Yeah, I believe it helped us simply get settled into the sport as a result of, clearly, our expertise, you may need it so unhealthy, you sort of get in your individual approach a bit bit and all people feels a bit little bit of stress, and it might go the other approach. I wished to attempt to leverage that in a constructive course for us to begin the sport.
On the place he charges this efficiency on his profession record:
I can’t price my performances, although. Simply win the sport.
JORDAN POOLE
On confidence veterans have proven in him:
Feels wonderful, having the ability simply to have the gamers, the employees, enable me to go on the market and play my sport and belief that I’m going to place my teammates in the most effective place and the most effective place for us to win. However credit score to them, too, simply because I’m asking so many questions and they're giving me solutions and it’s translating. So I’m grateful to be ready with these guys and be taught as a lot as I can.
On Curry’s efficiency:
It’s big. We wouldn’t have received with out him. And I don’t know if you happen to may even say in addition to 43 and 10 as a result of 43 and 10 is loopy, particularly within the NBA Finals. He’s our chief, and that’s what he does. Large sport. Large sport by him. And we wanted that.
On the offense-defense substitutions with Inexperienced:
It was late within the sport, final three minutes I believe. So being ready. Staying prepared. Good choice by the coaches. You recognize, we belief the selections that they make, so having the ability to have the expertise to do the offense-defense factor and for it to work was big for us.
On getting Curry extra assist:
I’ve been pondering that each time I step out on the court docket simply because he’s a spectacular participant and he does wonderful stuff on a regular basis. So particularly how dominant Klay, Wiggs, and having the ability to simply throw myself in there to attempt to give him assist by nonetheless being aggressive, but in addition nonetheless taking part in off him is one thing I believe make it particular. All three of us, apart from Klay being aggressive, I believe we're a fairly arduous staff to cease. Once we are capable of make pictures, that makes it simpler for him to get it going and proceed to maintain going as a result of we’re only a menace off the ball as properly.
DRAYMOND GREEN
On Curry’s night time:
Unimaginable. Put us on his again. Willed us to win. A lot-needed win. Sport we needed to have. Got here out and confirmed why he’s among the finest gamers to ever play this sport, you understand, and why, you understand, this group has been capable of journey him to a lot success. It’s completely unimaginable.
On Curry’s resilience to battle via foot damage:
Identical factor I’ve all the time mentioned. You recognize, him, one of the resilient, hardest guys I’ve ever performed with. You recognize, the way in which defenses guard him, they're consistently grabbing, and he simply continues to play. He don’t make a lot of it. He simply continues to do what he does. You recognize, it simply says rather a lot about his toughness and his aggressive nature and what it actually means to be a winner.
On his response to being benched for a stretch of the fourth quarter:
I’m positively by no means thrilled popping out of the sport with seven minutes to go within the fourth quarter in a must-win sport. I’m not going to take a seat right here and act like I used to be thrilled. I’m a competitor. However, on the finish of the day, if that’s what Coach decides, you then roll with it. You recognize, I needed to maintain my head within the sport and, you understand, at any time when I went again in, attempt to make some performs. That was simply my mindset. You recognize, don’t make an excessive amount of of it. I’ve all the time been of the — on the bandwagon of if you happen to’ve bought one thing and it’s rolling, you keep it up. So it's what it's.
On Curry displaying his feelings all through:
Yeah, he wasn’t letting us lose. That’s what it boils right down to. You hear all of the noise for a day or so, and I might inform in his demeanor the final couple days, even after Sport 3, that he was going to return out with that sort of fireplace. And he did, and we have been all capable of observe it.
ANDREW WIGGINS
On his 16-rebound effort:
I simply know final sport, that they had, you understand, out-rebounded us, and you understand, bought all of the offensive rebounds. At this time simply wished to return in and be aggressive on the boards and attempt to assist out.
On Curry’s efficiency within the fourth:
All you are able to do is watch. When Steph has the ball generally, you simply watch and see what he does. He’s the kind of participant that may go into the zone and get everybody concerned. It was an intense fourth quarter. It was a superb, aggressive quarter.
On if he had concern over Curry’s damage impacting him:
To be sincere, as quickly as he steps on the court docket, I simply suppose Steph’s going to be Steph, you understand, no matter who we're taking part in or how he’s feeling. I really feel like if he steps on the court docket, he’s prepared. He’s going to go on the market and dominate like he did tonight.
