Steph & Seth Curry: “Dream Come True” After Warriors-Rockets
[videos/interviews/transcripts/captions]
Transcripts of one Wardell Stephen Curry and one Seth Adham Curry below, from postgame Rockets-Warriors.
Seth shouted out Eric Housen aka “E”, VP of Team Operations aka “equipment manager” in old school terms, for helping him secure Steph’s jersey postgame.
It was fun to see a glimpse of Housen during the broadcast on the baseline near the Warriors bench kind of pissed at a foul call by one of the refs on a foul call. No one bleeds blue and gold more than him.
Full recap coming later today to the YouTube channel plus Spotify and Apple Podcasts, but I’ve started doing something new which is including an uncut version of the recap during the livestreams. The descriptions now have chapters, too, so it’s actually in there:
00:00 How’d you feel?
00:03 STEPH CURRY, POSTGAME HOU-GSW: I felt good, some good nerves going into it and obviously coming off the bench, just you’re trying to pace yourself physically, mentally to get ready for your runs. And first run was tough. Second run was great. Second quarter, once I got my feet underneath me and obviously the momentum carried, all the work you put in rehab to get through, even 26 minutes at that level, I was very grateful, for sure.
00:35 I was gonna say it felt like the rust definitely shook off as the game went on. How much rust do you feel like is still there right now?
00:43 It’s not as much rust as it’s the endurance. Honestly, you’re kind of picking and choosing a little bit of your spots to maintain. It’s not like you’re going a hundred miles an hour the whole time and just feeling it out, but yeah, after I traveled and got my shot blocked the first two possessions, I kind of settled in nice. You do all the training and scrimmages and all that type of stuff. It’s more just getting back familiar with the speed of the game, the physicality and just embracing it and that’s how the game kind of unfolded for me.
01:19 How do you, Steph, how did you feel you and Kristaps’ fit together, in your time on the court?
01:26 I thought we have a lot more to prove out there. I know he was in foul trouble all night, but there were a couple possessions they tried to blitz me, get somebody in the pocket, KP’s spacing the floor, defense has to make a decision, so more of those reps will be great for not just me and him, but for all of us to continue to build chemistry. I want, like I said, he had foul trouble, so there wasn’t much of a rhythm for him tonight, but that group that we had down the stretch, it felt like old times, just read the defense, they overreact to me on the perimeter, GP’s going to the bucket, Draymond’s finding guys, getting guys in the pocket. It was awesome. Tough finish, obviously, but I liked the way that we finished the game.
02:17 You took 20 shots and in 26 minutes. I mean, did you come in wanting to try to shoot yourself into a rhythm?
02:24 I actually had no expectations other than knowing Houston and their style of play, style of defense, and knowing kind of where I’d be able to find some good looks. The first quarter was really just if I saw any daylight, just shoot it and see what happens and then you kind of started to get a little bit more meticulous with each possession, but when you have fresh legs, it’s kind of easy to get going, knowing that you only have six-minute stretch. You can kind of take full advantage of those minutes, shots included.
03:01 You have, I mean, you know what type of condensed week you have before the Play-in. What do you want to accomplish over the next four, three games, maybe, you’ll play and how quickly are you trying to get your minutes back to Play-in level, whatever you’ll be in the Play-in?
03:19 I think I’d say you gotta be smart and do the right things for the right reasons. And I’m sure next game will look very similar to this one and then you kind of continue to assess how you feel moving forward and make, again, the right decision, so all I’m looking forward to is Tuesday. Probably be the same kind of flow and rhythm and hopefully it’s more of the same and then we kind of take it from there.
03:46 Steph, what was it like being able to play with Seth tonight out there?
03:51 Oh man, that was special. And we’ve both had a very difficult year, honestly, him more than me with injuries. And I was joking, calling us the Rehab Brothers because it’s been like that all year, but to have that moment coming out of a timeout and talking about our matchups, I was having flashbacks to Charlotte Christian High School, my senior year, his sophomore year was the last time in an actual game. I know he was on our training camp roster in 2013, but last time we actually played a game together, my mom was in the stands. She probably didn’t have any more memory in her phone from taking all the pictures and videos, so it was, that was a dream come true, to be honest. It hadn’t really sunk in yet, except when I came out the locker room just now, Seth is very serious about taking this jersey I have on me, so I knew he’ll take good care of it, for sure.
04:54 Did it bring you back even further than high school, bring you back to the backyard and just when do you think that it will sink in when you guys can bring back the memories years from now?
05:03 I mean, yeah, all of our basketball journey from growing up watching my Pops play and I think it was this video of us in Toronto when we were up there shooting around on the court as kids, like, basketball has been a part of our whole lives and it’s what we love to do. And the fact that at this stage of both of our careers that we’ve had this opportunity, even though this is, what, Game 77 and it’s the first time actually playing together, you definitely take a moment to reflect, for sure, and when it is all said and done down the road, I’m sure we’ll put the pictures up from tonight and talk about it.
05:47 Steph, did you figure there would be no time out there, after their made basket and just kind of just go?
05:52 Yeah, we, like, we didn’t have a play call because we thought we were gonna get a stop, but the usual kind of reaction there is to try to get — they had Sengun out there — was to try to get him in a pick-and-roll and see what they were gonna do, but everything kind of got a little stagnant at the top of the key. I haven’t watched the possession to see where there might have been a better option, but it seemed like there was a wall at the three-point line and I couldn’t figure out exactly where to go, but there’s no regrets. There’s, you like the matchup with their lineup out there, thinking that you can get a good shot with whatever it was, 11, 12 seconds left, so tough, tough finish for sure, but proud of the way we fought down the stretch.
06:36 And would you consider this meaningful basketball?
06:42 We’re building towards it. We’re gonna — we have two meaningful games, hopefully, down the stretch, but this is meaningful basketball in the sense of preparing ourselves for that moment. It’s not like we can just sleepwalk through these last four games and not focus on details that’ll help us win a do-or-die game and then do it again, so yes, you can kind of feel it in the arena, too. There’s a different vibe tonight.
07:08 how’d it feel to go toe-to-toe with Kevin Durant, especially at this point in your guys’ careers?
07:16 A competitor like that, all-time great like that, you go back and forth and you’re inspired by his level. I’m sure the same, vice-versa. And we obviously have great memories together as teammates, but just, it’s still crazy we’re doing it at this level, still at this stage of our careers. And he’s two years ahead of me, so I don’t know any other words other than just kind of a gratitude of you still have the battles ahead that greats, we look forward to.
07:57 Steph, I’m sure you don’t take anything for granted, obviously, at this point in your career, but after 27 games, take me through the emotions of the day. You came out and felt like you were kinda like a prize fighter in the pregame and getting ready. And then just the emotions of the Jumbotron and then hitting some buckets and pulling out a shimmy shake, too.
08:14 This is Easter Sunday, Resurrection Sunday. This has been a special day to reflect and appreciate, again, what I get to do every day on a daily basis. The gifts God’s given me to be healthy, fight through this rehab stint and be able to get back to the court and enjoy myself, there were a lot of nerves all day. My family supported me at home and I was a nervous wreck, trying to pass the the hours before I got to the arena, but once you get back into your routine, you’ve been doing it for so long, muscle memory takes over, the adrenaline takes over, and I appreciate the fans and the reception and just the buzz that was in the arena. Because that’s what you, at a certain point, you won’t be able to tap into that, so I’m very grateful. It was a beautiful day and now I can kind of settle into how we’re gonna finish the year.
09:12 Steph, you kind of just mentioned the vibe of the arena with everyone out there, the fans being excited, but then also when you think about having to watch the last 27 games of your team being out there, did it feel different, like a different type of performance put out there on the floor? I mean, the team talked about the fact that when you come back, it’s easier to play. Did it feel like that? Did it seem like that the game kind of go in that way?
09:35 I mean, yes and no. One thing I didn’t want was just because I’m out there, for it to be like an AAU game where everybody’s just running around trying to get me the ball. Like, we need to play sound, solid, deep, disciplined basketball and I felt like we got into that and, again, we were down, I think, it was double-digits in the fourth quarter and to battle back like that, that’s you tapping into that will to win. Even though we didn’t get it done, that’s just been the hardest part of this last two months. So there’s games where it’s, the game is hanging in the balance and sometimes we struggle to score or struggle to close games and you feel kind of helpless in that vibe, so — and it’s not just me, it’s everybody like I was talking about, that group that finished, we were in lock, in unison. It was kind of beautiful to watch and beautiful to be a part of, even for us to have a one-point lead with less than 20 seconds left, so the crowd was kind of feeding off of that.
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10:37 So what was it like to finally be out there with your brother?
10:42 SETH CURRY: It was a great moment, great moment just be out there on the same floor for the first time since high school, was special for us, special for the family. So yeah, that’s really all I could say.
10:56 Where does the jersey go?
10:59 Oh, that’s going in the mancave at home. I got my hands on that right away. In one frame, I’m gonna have that for forever, so just try to, yeah, I thought about that before I asked. I went in there and asked E. (Eric Housen) this morning. I said, as soon as the game’s over, I’m getting my hands on both of those.
11:17 Seth, Steph said that your mom probably doesn’t have any more memory on her phone left after tonight with all the videos she took. Just what do you think that this night meant for her, your family, your siblings, everybody?
11:27 It’s a dream come true, dream come true. I mean, we’ve played against each other for a while now. For us to be in the same floor together as teammates was a different dynamic and I’m sure everybody was watching on the East Coast, stayed up late watching on the East Coast and, yeah, she was over there sneaking pictures when we were both in the hall, trying to get loose and she was really excited.
11:51 What are some of your other favorite souvenirs artifacts in your man cave?
11:56 I got a few things I’m not gonna divulge it all, but I’ve been smart. I’ve been collecting some good stuff.
12:03 This may sound like a silly question, but when you think about the players that come up and they’re like, wow, I’m playing with Steph Curry. You step out there, that’s your brother, but do you step out there and feel that, like, wow, I’m playing with the best shooter the game’s seen?
12:17 Nah, not really, not really. It’s just, I mean, I know, I mean, obviously you see him doing what he did tonight, trying to lead our team to a win, but for me, I’ve watched him for so long, I know different ways. Hopefully over this next week, I can play with him a little bit more and help him out. And while out there on the floor, I’m just trying to be aggressive and trying to make the game easier for him, spread the floor, find ways to help and that’s really my mindset.
12:44 You guys have such a condensed timeline here to try to get right for the Play-in week. Does how he looked tonight, 29 in 26 minutes, does that kind of boost the idea of what maybe you guys can still be?
12:58 I mean, you kind of know, I mean, who he is and what you’re gonna get. He might not shoot it the way he did it tonight every night, but he’s gonna create offense for us. Him and his presence out there does boost everybody, makes everybody’s job a little bit easier. You don’t have to carry the weight as much and it is condensed, so, but we gotta figure out. That was a good step — we have a little learning curve of guys who have different roles throughout the season, before he came back and their confidence has grown a little bit and they have to find ways to continue to keep that up, so yeah, I mean, it does — you know who he is, but it also does reinforce some things.
13:41 Hi Seth, Coach Kerr says Stephen is the player can bring the joy back and you also mentioned about the point is let the fans enjoy the game.
13:52 Yeah.
13:52 Where this ability come from? It’s kind like a Curry’s family, like born with or, like, develop over time?
13:58 Yeah, I think in our household, my mom always just drilled in us, enjoy the game. Have fun. Let — I mean, God’s given us talent to play this game, so you wanna go out there and maximize it. And it’s not life or death out there. You wanna go out there and have fun. It’s an entertainment product. Once you get to this level, you wanna go out there and have fun, enjoy yourself, but put on a show, let the fans enjoy it, so that’s what I always tell myself before the games, is to be a light and play with a smile on my face as much as possible. And Steph has done that forever as well.
14:36 Steph said he was even dealing with some nerves, maybe before getting to the arena, at least. I mean, when did you see him first today and what were kind of the emotional state that he was in, I guess, when you saw him?
14:46 Saw him in the locker — I mean, just, we both got to the gym before the game, seemed fine. I didn’t see many nerves, so looked pretty normal to me.
14:58 With just the injuries that you and Steph have been dealing with this season, was there any doubt that tonight would happen?
15:03 There was definitely some doubt, definitely some doubt. Like I said, he didn’t know if he would be able to come back at all for a period of time there. And myself, it’s just a crazy year. I’ve been dealing with so much. Like yeah, when we came back, only had like a week or two left, so it was definitely a lot of doubt, but I think we’re both feeling a little bit better now and can close these last few games playing well and getting better and heading into the Play-in with some confidence.
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