Everything seems to be going wrong for the Warriors and Stephen Curry. The Warriors had the Celtics in town for a 2022 Finals rematch, eyeing their first three-game win streak since November 15. It was a golden opportunity to gain some momentum and build on their recent success. With Draymond Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Brandin Podziemski all sidelined by injuries, the Warriors were without some important pieces. It’s tough to make up for that kind of depth on the floor, and it showed.
Golden State had a chance to prove they still had championship potential, especially against a powerhouse like the Celtics. But let’s be real: they came up short. They suffered a brutal 85-125 blowout loss. In the post-game conference, Curry was asked how he processed a loss like this. The 2x MVP replied, “I have no idea.”
But he did have an answer for shutting outside noise as pointed out by Kevon Looney. Curry explained, “I don’t know if you read stuff, if you hear stuff, you got family members that wanna talk about what we need to do… you have to be able to just focus on what you individually need to do to get ready for the next game.” According to the greatest shooter ever it’s all about focusing on the task at hand and what each player can control moving forward.
But what he said next is crucial for the Warriors. “We need to have positive vibes in our locker room, no matter what happens in a win or a loss. And you just gotta be able to come with the right attitude. Like I said, it’s a belief thing that we can win whatever game is in front of us, an endgame.”
It’s a mindset that the Warriors have embraced to push through tough times. Even after such a demoralizing loss, Curry’s faith in the team’s ability to bounce back is unwavering, underscoring his role as both a leader and motivator. His focus on the “endgame” reminds us that every game is part of a bigger journey.
Curry himself has been playing through minor niggles to uplift his team. But all of those efforts go in vain.
Playing through pain, Stephen Curry is determined to make it to the playoffs
The 2x MVP entered Monday’s game against the Celtics with a list of injuries, including a questionable left ankle sprain. Despite the setbacks, the team cleared him to play, but it quickly became clear that he was far from 100%. As the game wore on and the Warriors found themselves trailing 125-85, Curry’s right thumb, already sore for weeks, flared up, forcing him to rely more on his left hand for basic skills like dribbling.
The sight of Curry laboring through injury while his team struggled around him was tough to watch. It’s hard to ignore the question: Is Curry wasting his time? Or are his teammates failing to help carry the load?
With just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Kerr pulled Curry from the game. The Warriors were down by 32, and Kerr knew it was pointless to let his star player continue fighting a losing battle. “We’ve got to flush this one down the toilet and get ready for [Sacramento],” Kerr said, and really, at that point, it was the right call.
The bigger question now is how long Curry can keep pushing himself through this physical grind. His team has to find a way to match his effort, or this season could slip away from them faster than they’d like.
