“Not like ‘Oh, we lost in the finals in 2016’”: Steph Curry reflects on the mindset of not letting his confidence get killed
Steph Curry has led the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals multiple times, and he has had his fair share of experiences with winning and losing. In 2016, the Warriors suffered a tough seven-game series loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Curry had a moment to reflect on his confidence.
The 2016 finals was probably one of the best the league has to offer when it comes to competitive basketball. The Warriors had the upper hand after four games, but LeBron James and the Cavs' willingness to win took over. They overcame a 3-1 series lead as Golden State crumbled.
Curry talked about not losing his confidence despite losing badly in the finals.
"I'm talking about fear of failure," Curry said. "It's going through the reps, but I'm not afraid of giving everything you have to something, because, I'm not results-oriented. So, I'm like, 'Oh, we lost in the finals in 2016. Oh, everything I did to put myself in that position was wrong.'
"It's like, no. You got that far. ... There might be several tweaks, and you have to continue to strategize on that. But right there, like, 'OK, let's just go back.' Don't let it kill your confidence, and you just go through those episodes over and over again.
"Not afraid to take the big shots, not afraid to play in the big moments, because I deserve the confidence based on the work that I put in."
The Warriors came back strong the following year after they recruited Kevin Durant during the offseason. Most fans weren't happy with the move they made, but the team had more confidence as they had another superstar to help them win back-to-back titles.
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How well did Steph Curry perform during the 2016 NBA Finals?
Steph Curry is an important piece to the Warriors' offense, which is why teams don't underestimate him in the NBA Finals. During his first two finals appearances, the nine-time All-Star struggled to be effective during some games as he was the priority of the opposing team's defense.
Through seven games in the 2016 finals, Curry averaged 22.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists. He shot 40.3%, including 40.0% from beyond the arc.
His best game in the series came in Game 4 when he put up 38 points, five rebounds and four assists. He also made seven 3-pointers, shooting 53.8% from long range. But that wasn't enough to stop the Cavs from taking the next three games.
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