For Stephen Curry and the Warriors, winning is in their DNA

Eight years have passed and yet the DNA of the Warriors dynasty continues to be preserved, with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green as magnificent guardians.

“The foundation is the same, and it’s a solid foundation. You hear it a lot, the foundation determines how strong your structure is. Steph, Klay and Draymond, what they’ve done in this league and the foundation they’ve been able to build, you have to tip your hat to them,” Andre Iguodala explained after Game 6. “A hundred years from now, when there are discussions about the best players and the best teams, we’re going to be talking about those three guys as a model of how to build to win titles.”

This isn’t about style of play, about one crazy 3-pointer after another. No, it’s about something that’s hard to explain or quantify but that you recognize immediately when you see it or feel it. These Warriors know how to win, and it starts deep inside.

Unwavering determination

“You won’t want to cross our path next season…” warned a bruised Stephen Curry last June after the Warriors’ play-in loss to Memphis. At the time, many had laughed at the double MVP. Despite a great end to the regular season in 2021 and the expected return of Klay Thompson, it was difficult to see anything but irrational confidence in Stephen Curry’s words. For the interested party, his words were simply the manifestation of an unwavering determination to return to the heights of the NBA.

After five straight Finals and a loss to Toronto that launched two years in purgatory, the Warriors could have easily lost faith. Players, coaching staff, executives, they could have all gone from believers to unbelievers. That’s not knowing them well.

“We had that mentality, that belief, that faith in what we could do. We’ve been harping on it all year. Our experience, our championship DNA, my leadership, Draymond’s, Andre’s and Loon (Looney), Klay’s, all of that counts,” Stephen Curry described.

“We held on to those beliefs for those three years, not knowing how it was going to end. But the whole time, the only thing we could control was our belief and how we approached each day. You have to embody that belief.”

The daily affirmation of that determination not only kept the veterans on track throughout the season, but it also shaped the newcomers.

“On this team, everyone is selfless and humble, and it starts at the top,” assured Jordan Poole. His rise has been essential to Golden State’s success, but would it have been possible without the benevolence of Klay Thompson? Despite his injuries and the risk of new blood taking his place, the “Splash Brother” put the collective interest above his personal interest.

“He took me under his wing,” shared a grateful Jordan Poole. “We train together, we text each other, we talk to each other in the locker room and on the phone. He’s taught me everything, he’s shown me the way, and I’m glad to be a part of such a symbiotic relationship.”

That goes for Andrew Wiggins as well. The Canadian has been on a roll throughout the playoffs, punctuating his campaign with a masterful Finals performance where he muzzled Jayson Tatum while playing his offensive role to perfection. The environment of Golden State has drawn the quintessence of his qualities to put them at the service of the collective.

Certainty to erase doubts

With two minutes left in Game 6, Andrew Wiggins was seen sharing a moment with Andre Iguodala as the veteran returned to the court to replace him. The same Iggy was on his back the whole series to urge him to never let up, like a wise man guiding his students to the promised land.

“Draymond, Klay, Steph, Andre, all the veterans challenged me every day, every time I stepped on the floor and it motivated me like never before,” explained an Andrew Wiggins transcended by the lure of victory.

“These are future Hall of Famers. Every time they ask me to do something, I want to prove to them that I can do it to earn their respect.”

One by one, everyone on the roster has followed the veterans and fed off that contagious determination. Steve Kerr should also not be forgotten. “The way he challenges you while supporting you is incredible. He gives his players confidence and he puts us all in a great position,” Wiggins described.

In every playoff series, the Warriors have found the balance between collective strength and individual achievement. Remember Jordan Poole’s flashes of brilliance, Kevon Looney’s record-breaking rebounding against Memphis, and the small but significant contributions of Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica.

You’d almost forget that the Warriors entered the playoffs with only this internal belief that they could find their best level at the best time, despite injuries to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green during the regular season.

“I remember two months ago, I was injured and our defense was in free fall,” Curry laughed. “We crawled into the playoffs and we knew we had to find a way to be our best while not really knowing what our rotations would be and therefore the chemistry on the court between the different groups.”

Defense as one of the pillars of their dynasty

It was Golden State’s defense that got them off to a strong start this season. The veterans and the coaching staff knew that the return of their defense would allow them to string together playoff wins. Series after series, they found solutions to overcome the two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, a tough Memphis team, and the maestro Luka Doncic with his orchestra of shooters.

“Defense wins championships”. In the pick of NBA clichés, this one is perhaps the most important. It holds true almost every season, but it’s rare to hear why defense is so crucial. It’s not just about stopping your opponent. Good defense allows you to find rhythm on offense. Good defense demoralizes your opponent. Good defense allows you to travel and win on the road.

Golden State’s streak of 27 consecutive series with at least one win on the road is no accident, but we forget that the bedrock of their identity for years has been built on defense. They proved it against Boston, with a collective demonstration, led by the inevitable Draymond Green, a Stephen Curry now more ready to take the challenge and a Klay Thompson who found all his impact on this side of the court.

“When you have an offense that sexy, with shooters like Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, and Jordan Poole, people are drawn to that, but it’s because of our defense that we beat that team (Boston),” Draymond Green said. “We held them under 100 points in four of the six games in the series. We beat them because of our defense and that’s a constant for us. You can’t win the title without great defense. We know that. We understand that. It’s a source of pride and we know that our defense allows our offense to catch fire.”

Fullness Stephen Curry

Not all good defenses end up champions. The Celtics are a perfect example. They need a leader. A player who turns determination into an absolute refusal to lose.

“You won’t want to cross our path next season…” It’s back to that line Stephen Curry uttered a year and six days ago. It would be too easy to think that the Warriors had no doubts about reaching the top of the league again, but Curry’s perseverance was stronger than any doubts that have surrounded Golden State since the 2019 NBA Finals Game 6 loss to Toronto.

“In a way, you have to manifest your destiny and that stubbornness … I love that word. That stubbornness of knowing who we are and what we’re capable of mattered a lot more than what people could say. That’s why we’rehere tonight,” Stephen Curry said.

In addition to words and attitude, the point guard has proven time and time again during these playoffs that he can step up and take responsibility on the court. During the first three series, he finished the job by attacking the circle. His performance in Game 4 of the Finals remains the most striking symbol of this obstinacy. With his back to the wall, in a hostile environment, he played the best game of his career in the playoffs, with a calm and a disconcerting accuracy.

During all these Finals, Stephen Curry was in control. He’s been known to go crazy, but in these last six games, he was on fire. He had that glint in his eye. A combination of determination, confidence and poise. When it came time for him to take the shot in Game 6, he again preferred to be aggressive and finish in the circle rather than retreat into stepbacks that were risky even for him.

The one who is described in a reductive way as the best shooter in history has reached his full potential. He has certainly never been stronger and has cemented his place in the Hall of Fame as one of the best players in history. His attitude has rubbed off on all of his teammates. Like him, the Warriors minimized mistakes, wearing down the Celtics both physically and mentally. Stephen Curry never let up on his prey, punishing every defensive strategy, and his teammates were right there with him.

The Tim Duncan of the Bay

“I’ve said it many times, Steph reminds me a lot of Tim Duncan,” said Steve Kerr, who played and won two titles with the Spurs legend. “Two totally different players but humanly, talent-wise, and confidence-wise, they are similar. This wonderful combination makes everyone want to win for him. Without Steph, none of this would be possible.”

His personality and perspective have built the Warriors we’ve known for eight years. They are selfless, because Steph is. They are determined and persistent to win, because Steph is. They are carefree, because Steph is. They accept their roles because Steph is capable of starting an entire playoff series on the bench for the good of the team.

For the past eight years, players have come and gone by his side and the result has been the same. Whether it’s Strength In Numbers, cohabitation with Kevin Durant, or leading the way for a younger squad, the result remains the same because Stephen Curry has put his historic stamp on Golden State’s DNA.

With that foundation and belief, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson believed in their chances to bring the Larry O’Brien Trophy back to the Bay Area. For three years, “They Believed” while everyone talked about them in the past tense. In Boston, all of their beliefs came true again.

“This title has a different taste because of everything that has happened in the last three years. From the injuries to the reconfiguration of the roster, the arrival of Wiggs (Wiggins), the young guys who were willing to believe that we could get back to this level and win, even though at the time it probably didn’t mean anything to them. But all of that is important,” described Stephen Curry. “All the hard work we put in, the belief, the conviction, and all the people getting champagne in the locker room, I’m proud of everybody. And here we are with four titles. Me, Dray, Klay, and Andre… It’s special… it’s special!”

Interviewed in Boston.