WARDELL: The Inspiring Story of Stephen Curry | Documentary

The Golden State Warriors select Stephen Curry from Davidson College. Change game. Look at this move by Steph. How fun is he? Success with Brewer early on. Curry, but Curry's taking advantage of this matchup. The right-handed finger roll, electrifying this crowd, and the dream season is now complete. The Golden State Warriors are the 2015 NBA champions. They do have a timeout, decide not to use it. Curry way down top. Bang, bang! Oh, what a shot from Curry with 6.10 of a second remaining. The first unanimous MVP in NBA history. Stephen Curry to the to Durant. The Warriors are NBA champions again. The Golden State Warriors, back-to-back titles. Step three. There it is. NBA three-point history. 2,974 threes and counting. The Dubs Dynasty is still very much alive. The Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award goes to Stephen Curry.

Hello everybody. Bob alongside Jim Barnett. And Jim, LeBron James. The Golden State Warriors before Stephen Curry and the LA Clippers were in the same class. Like they were the butt of every NBA joke. They were, they were a laughing stock. The Warriors have made the playoffs just once in their last 18 years, which is incredible. The longest current NBA playoff drought. Well, the Golden State Warriors were horrible for a long period of time. Shot clock at six. And Pierce is rejected. It's Carter. Look out! Oh, he threw the body and flipped it in. Been a fan for longer than I care to admit, man. More than three decades. There was a period of time where I used to call him the $10 baller seats. You could get into any game for $10. And then not only could you get in, but because there was nobody in the arena, you could sneak down and as long as you kept it cool, you know, you didn't, didn't go too big with your celebrations, you could get to within three, four rows of the floor and watch, you know, full half of NBA basketball for $10. Beams, I think the Warriors were mostly in a dark place before Steph had arrived. They were essentially the Charlotte Hornets, um, of the NBA back then. This is a team that for decades was just, you know, a joke. The success of any team in, uh, in professional sports, team sport, is who do you draft? Who do you trade for? Who do you get in free agency? It's about the players. You got to get the right players. Well, what you see right here is Stephon Curry, one of the purest shooters in all of the country. Never touched the rim. Curry with a three. Steph lights it up. LeBron's impressed in what he sees. I do remember very vividly, and I, and I think a lot of people did remember very vividly, Steph and Davidson and what he did in that March Madness run.

Left, and he points over to his partner. There he goes. Oh, that again. We got to start. I, like everyone else, watched his run at Davidson. I also, like everyone else, thought, oh man, this dude is really small. Like, he's almost my height. He's like only a couple inches taller than me. He's like even skinnier than I am. How is this dude going to be an NBA player? Right? In terms of speculation, there's no argument that Steph Curry is the best shooter available in this draft. And the question is, can he make the transition to the point guard spot? Is he going to be strong enough against NBA defenders over the course of an 82-game schedule? I kind of heard the same stuff outside going into the NBA. I'm too small, not athletic enough, can't play defense, not strong enough.

The summer of 2009, a moment in time that would be a crossroad in the destiny of an individual and a franchise. Having made a name for himself over his historic college career, Stephen Curry was looking to emerge from the shadow of his NBA father, hungry for the opportunity to prove he belonged on the game's biggest stage. On the west coast, the Golden State Warriors were desperate for relevance. The passionate fanbase had been left searching for any reason for optimism, starved from excitement due to a string of failed draft picks by the team's front office. And the Warriors had this like long run where even though they were bad every year, it just became a thing where you knew they were going to draft someone and you had no hope that it was going to work out because draft picks just never worked out for the Golden State Warriors. Draft Day used to be the only day we could look forward to. You know, we weren't going to make the playoffs, um, and so our only shot at turning things around were whatever player it was that we actually landed on that day.

That draft process is, is wild. Like, there's some, there's some new narrative every day. Uh, there's some new guarantee on the draft board. There's some trade rumor. Like, every day it was something different. I mean, the NBA is such a small world. Steve Kerr was the GM of Phoenix at the time, um, and part of the conversation leading up to the draft was, I guess Golden State didn't think I was going to be around at seven and whoever they drafted was going to be part of some trade to get Amari, uh, to Golden State. Like, I talked to Mike Dantoni, who was the coach of the Knicks at the time. They had, uh, Gallinari, who was their young prospect. And the whole conversation, like, "Oh, put you, you know, Gallinari, David Lee was there, you, Don Antonio, put you in all the right positions. I could be like, 'Nah, sorry.' It could be like Nash 2.0 when he was in Phoenix and all that type of stuff." So that was a conversation.

Let's do this. Knock. Yes, sir. All right. I just officially got butterflies. I'm out of my element now. I don't know what to do with myself. This is crazy. How you doing? Good. How are you? Pretty good. I'll be all right though, right? Yeah. Worst that could happen is you end up in the NBA, right? That's true. Good. Great. Great way to put it. It's kind of funny thinking back. I was, I wanted to go to New York and thought I was going to New York. Was in the draft in the Green Room, like, uh, or get to the eighth spot. New York. Get me about to practice walking up a couple times. Blake goes one, uh, shot to beat James Harden, Tyreke Evans. And then is number five. And Minnesota's got the two picks in a row. So I just get through these two. They got two picks in a row. And then guarantee, like, I didn't really know. I talked to Golden State like that. It's going to be number eight. So they went Rubio and Jonny Flynn. So I'm like, all right, this is it. This is crazy.

Is on the clock with the number seven pick. Who else? Point guard. With the seventh pick in the 2009 NBA draft, the Golden State Warriors select Stephen Curry from Davidson College. The 6'3" junior guard out of Davidson. Quite simply, is the best shooter in the draft. When he first fell into our laps, nobody here, certainly not me, understood the basketball, uh, luck that we had just inherited. He's going to have to improve his decision-making a little bit with the ball in his hands, and his shot selection has got to get a little bit better. I think when the Warriors had drafted Steph, it was, "Oh, this kid is really cool. He can score a lot, but is he going to make it in the NBA?" When you have like, close to 40 years of just utter mediocrity, you also had pessimism. So when Stephen Curry was drafted, it's not like the fanbase had any clue what was coming. Like, you know, it wasn't like, you know, the fanbase saw Stephen Curry and, and, you know, saw some form of Messiah that was going to save this organization. Definitely very excited to be here. Uh, it's a dream come true for me to be drafted NBA, uh, be an NBA player, and having the opportunity to take my game to the next level. I definitely see Golden State as a great fit for the way I play.

While there was some excitement in the Bay surrounding the team's new rookie, questions remained about how Stephen Curry and current franchise centerpiece Monte Ellis would play together in the same backcourt. In his early years, Monte Ellis was probably a little more popular. And, you know, and people were asking more so, "How is, how are they going to fit Stephen when Monte plays a similar position, only not as good of a shooter?" As the opening tip for the 2010 season approached, the questions in Golden State would only continue to grow, and the eyes of Oakland were locked in on the rookie from Davidson. First NBA game. So excited to be here, and it's like a, like a dream come true for me. So, kind of nervous now, actually walking up to the gym and everything, but hopefully we'll have a good game and get that first win. So I'm excited. That's all I can say right now. I remember when he first checked in. I was lucky enough to be at that game, and I share season tickets with my wife and leaned over to her and said, "Hey, this could be a big deal." You know, the season opener is like Christmas morning for an NBA season. Oracle will be rocking. Monte Ellis, the new leader, and Stephen Curry, the new phenom. They'll be in the backcourt together tonight.

The baseline jumper, right through. Don't need a screen. He can just take him off the dribble. Very wing jumper, good. I knew Don Nelson and his style, and, um, and they told me like when I first got, you know, to camp, like, "Yo, you're going to love this system because it's all about just playing fast. Everybody's going to get a look. You know, he wants you to, you to score and be aggressive offensively." And they were in line. Parker reached on it, reached again. That Curry put it in and draws the foul. Stephen Curry. How far out was that, coach? That was, uh, back in Charlotte, North Carolina. There. Curry gets Orford backing up. The ball slipped out of his hands. He made it anyway. Feels it now. Curry three. He got it. And here they come again. I think with Steph, it, it was really a, "Hey, you've got to prove yourself." This is the NBA. But when he did, coming down to the second half of the season, the flashes were incredible. Oh, Steph Curry, what a play! You didn't get a sense of four titles, great. You didn't get a sense of two MVP, great. Didn't get a sense of unanimous MVP, great. But you got a sense of what he might become. There'd be one or two moments every game or so where you'd almost have to do a double-take, you know, where you couldn't believe what it was. You couldn't wait to see the replay because what you actually saw live couldn't have actually happened. Oh, Curry went to dribble that ball and hit the three. He thought about passing it. Said, "No, I'll dribble it." Instead. Steph Curry all the way to the rim. Look at this move. How fun is he? He could shoot. He was a great shooter the moment he stepped in. I think people expected that. But I don't think myself, along with fans, along with really the, I would say, even the coaching staff, expected him to be such a good ball handler and passer at that time of his career. It became pretty obvious that he's not just a JJ Redick coming off the screen. He's not just a Kyle Korver coming off the screen. He's going to be able to get his own shot. He's going to be able to get to the rim. He's going to be able to get other people shots. And when that happened, it was, for me, that was the flash. I was like, "Oh, all right. Well, maybe he's more like Steve Nash." Finishing second in the running for Rookie of the Year, Stephen Curry had proven early on that he was capable of being a major contributor at the NBA level. Behind averaging 17 points and nearly six assists, Curry had quickly adapted to the Warriors' free-flowing offense in a way that highlighted his shot-making ability, despite still adjusting to the speed of the pro game. Steph had managed to put up the most 30-point games by a rookie since LeBron James in 2003, while also setting the record for the most threes made by a rookie. However, despite the encore success, it was his willingness to grow and desire to learn that would catch the attention of people around the organization. Curry's goal was never just to make a splash in his first season. He was determined to build a foundation for the future.

"Where you going to be in 10 years? What kind of player you going to be in 10 years?" "I want to be, uh, you know, known as a true professional, a guy that played the game the right way. Um, you know, hopefully still in the league and still effective in the league." It's not made people last in double-digit years. So, uh, it starts now and building a foundation for the later on down the road. While Curry would continue his growth in year two, starting all 74 games, it was clear that the team would need to make a decision about who would hold the reins of the franchise's future. The Steph and Monte Ellis experiment was fun, but capped the future potential of the team under a glass ceiling of two primary scoring guards. Following the NBA lockout in 2011, the Warriors were left with a choice of two directions moving forward, and it seemed that an unfortunate series of events could derail the career of a young Curry.

Neil dribble it off his leg. Oh my goodness. Curry ankle coming out of the paint. My word. He just got it caught on his toe. Uh-oh. We look across the court and you don't want to see that again. He's had injury problems throughout his career. He's had two surgeries on his right ankle. Curry, but there is something that has plagued Steph his entire career. Twisted ankles. He's had surgery twice. Every question I got was, you know, "How are your ankles? You know, are you going to be, you know, that pseudo Grant Hill story where you have an injury that kind of holds you back from reaching your full potential?" That thing was going to derail this. It was a very serious issue. Oh, I was ready to let go to the rad. I was concerned most about him, about his ankles, because of all those injuries and things he was having. And my God, just say he's going to ruin his career. Didn't know if I was going to be, you know, healthy enough to play night in, night out. Part of the reason why it was serious is because Steph never really looked the part of this dominant all-time great basketball player. And then on top of that, you see his ankles rolling, and that fed a lot into, I think, why a lot of people were not holding their breaths that Steph was going to turn into this incredibly amazing, you know, Hall of Fame level player. The, the ankle thing, I think we all looked at that and thought, "That's what's going to prevent Stephen Curry from being a great." That is the Warriors curse, uh, applied to Stephen Curry. This was a beaten dog franchise, man. You know, anytime something bad happened, we weren't surprised. We were waiting for it, and we just assumed that he would never get over. He's always injured. The rumors, everything. It's really tough, but again, he's a very competitive, determined kid. He wasn't going to let it stop him. From what was told, from what was reported, he essentially spent an entire offseason fixing his hips because that was causing weak lower stability to his body. But I'll, I'll, I'll push it even further and add it to the legacy of Steph. The again, it happens. None of us thought he was coming back. We didn't think that that was going to go down at all. And another impossible thing he has done is shake off what looked to be a genetic problem, you know, a thing that doctors were telling him, "This is going to happen consistently." And now, I mean, I don't, I don't know how long it's been, but I've stopped holding my breath when he goes down. He took his ankle issues and turned that into fuel and motivation to be the player he is today. A lot of people, when it comes to injuries, um, it brings them down and ruins them. So no judgment if it does. I mean, you know, like it's a part of the game, but Steph took it as, "I'm going to beat this, and I'm going to, and this is going to make me work even harder." And look what it resulted. Once they told me I was that guy, I was at peace with it. I'm totally excited because it just means that one chapter of my life is done, and I'm on to another. Another season, no pun intended, and a season full of challenges, a season full of growth, and a season full of, of, of flat-out excitement for me and my family.

With new head coach Mark Jackson in the process of changing the team's culture and having drafted a true shooting guard in Klay Thompson, the Warriors were set to embark on a new direction as a franchise. As the trade deadline approached in 2012, Golden State would make a decision that would change the trajectory of both the team and Curry's career forever. We were in Sacramento. There, a lockout year, it's right at the trade deadline. We get to the arena. First, I was on the first bus. Monte usually comes on the second bus. We get in the locker room. It's kind of a different energy, you know, around trade deadline, it's always like that, but this was different. I was like, "It's a little quiet in here. Like, what's going on?" And I'm getting taped, getting ready to play in the game. And you see across the ticker on in the on the TV in the locker room, like, uh, breaking news, NBA trade, Warriors trade Monte Ellis, F. Udoh, and somebody else for Andrew Bogut. And that's how we found out. We are on the lock. Like, "What? What? What's going on?" So Monte shows up. He just got off the phone with his agent. His agent just called him. This is maybe an hour and a half, two hours before the game. So then, you know, he's kind of like emotional, but, you know, kind of resolute, like, "This is happening." Like, "Forget y'all." Not, not team, but forget the organization in terms of like, he, he was the true ultimate warrior. Like, he was a fan favorite, deservedly so. We believe the last one from the Le. We believe team. You find out on the TV. You didn't hear from the team. You saw on the TV. Does that bother you? No, I ain't got no problem with it. I mean, it is what it is. Like I said, it's a tough, tough blow for like all of Dub Nation. And wasn't really received well. So, uh, that's how it went down. Everybody kind of said goodbye to Monte. They left. And then Coach Jackson pulled me out of the locker room. He's like, "Yo, I let you know, like, they wanted you in the trade, but for whatever reason, like, that's part of the doctor thing." Oh, that didn't go down like that. It's like, I kind of stepped in and said, "I'm going to give you the keys. I felt like I really believe in you. We just got to get you healthy, and that's what the rest of the season is going to be about." So crazy, crazy day. I'll never forget that moment.

Having signed Stephen to a four-year, $44 million deal in the offseason, the Warriors had made it clear that they were committed to building around Curry moving forward. The pieces of a new core had begun to come together as Golden State drafted a Swiss army knife prospect out of Michigan State by the name of Draymond Green. So Mark Jackson brings defense, brings intensity to the Golden State Warriors. By Curry, Curry finally with the keys to the franchise. Stephen Curry would make strides in 2013. He was fully healthy, surrounded by a team tailored to his strengths, and backed by a coach who believed in him. This was a new era of basketball in Oakland. This was the birth of the Baby-Faced Assassin.

Here's Curry. Taylor working on him. Oh, left it behind. Gets an open three. Yes. Uh-oh. The rebound. Three and two. Three. He's, oh man. The win. Steph Curry. Steph has more game than his pops, and that's with all due respect to old-school basketball. And to me, Steph Curry has blossomed into a superstar. Uh, he has simply become the, uh, face of this franchise. Curry with a steal and a foot race with K.J. McDaniels and the reverse. Avoids the block. Oh, goodness. Oh, my goodness. We're so used to watching, um, the people that are, uh, appointed superstars. I think LeBron James, Kevin Durant. Victor Wembanyama is coming in. I think it's pretty sweet to watch someone explode onto the scene that you had no idea was going to be a super mega star. The Lakers. What a move. Curry. Curry. What a move. He can boogie on anybody. He's not some spot-up shooter. He's got the handle to create space and shots for himself. He can take you off the dribble. He can dance you. Curry. Curry. And I mean, he had Tyler hands reaching for the ball and everything. To his credit, he's kind of like, I was, I was never satisfied. I was trying to get better. Hell, I was the best free-throw shooter in the league, and I changed my free-throw style to get even better. And I was better at the end of my career than I was at the beginning. And in Steph's case, he wasn't satisfied with what he was doing. He went out and, as great a shooter as he was, he made himself an even greater shooter. He became better with his decision-making, his shot selection. I mean, in his case, I mean, he takes shots that for most people are bad shots, but for him, they're not. I mean, it's crazy. Curry, that's way too easy for him. It was the first time in 2013, I think, that Warrior fans started allowing ourselves to believe we might finally have our modern-day superstar. You know, I am too young to really have active memories of Rick Barry. And so, in my life, we had various people. We had the Antoine Jamison of the world. We had people who could score, but it wasn't until 2013, in Steph's real ascendance, where we started realizing we might have a, you know, Hall of Fame, top 10 of all-time difference maker on our hands.

Score from everywhere. Curry from deep. There's the record. He stands alone as the best three-point shooter in a single season in NBA history. Makes a couple, you better look out. That guy is hot. Curry for three. Wow. Unbelievable. Making it rain in New York. One back to the way. Curry. Why not for three? Bingo. Against Bell for three. Got it. What a night for Steph Curry. His 11th three of the night in his first All-Star season. Steph would average 22.9 points per game, up nearly 5 points from his previous season. He had proven that he was capable of running the show as a point guard, dropping nearly seven assists a night as he ran the floor with backcourt mate Klay Thompson. The duo had earned the nickname of the Splash Brothers, ushering in a new era of Golden State basketball centered around fast-paced offense and insane shots from distance. Thompson steps in, no longer and hit boy. He can shoot the ball. The regular season had been a breakout year for Stephen Curry, but it was the 2013 playoffs that would see him take his place as the future of the game.

I had always heard about how amazing Oracle Arena was during the playoffs. We Believe team was it 2007 when they made that run to beat Dallas. I had heard like this just a crazy, it's already the craziest arena, it's loud in the regular season, all that, but the playoffs is just a different vibe. So we got into that series, we started in, we were six seed. So we started in Denver, came back 111. And it's like we walked out and there's just haze around over the court. Fans, like, 75% full 20 minutes before the, uh, before the tip-off. They're chanting Warriors. Got a nice, uh, aroma in the building. Um, it was just amazing, like, amazing atmosphere. So you kind of get wrapped up in that. The Warriors with a six seed, the Nuggets with a three seed. Ty Lawson was a sweet point guard for Denver back then. Andre Iguodala was on that team. Andre Miller was on that team. They had a really, really good squad. And Steph just took a torch and just burned it down. Here's Curry right on cue. Splashes through a three to tie it at 15. The first field goal for Curry, five points on the night. Curry off the glass. P Curry, second three. Curry gets past him into the lane. Left hand and hull. Gets the bounce right in front of, uh, Denver's bench. JaVale McGee standing like L, standing up. It's like five or six guys around him. And get the ball in the corner. And they're obviously, you've been in that situation where you rise up and everybody's just talking, you know, trash behind you. And for some reason, I just got out of body experience. Literally, let it go. Like, I never felt the shot feel better than that. I turned around and kind of looked at JaVale and then just ran off. And it went in. And that was when I didn't even check to see if it went in. I just was waiting for the, waiting for the noise. Curry up, fake, slide, flick it. That's what made them so good. Season allowed Curry three-point shot success. Curry, but Curry's taking advantage of this matchup. The right-handed finger roll. Curry electrifying this crowd. Curry with the steal. Steph Curry fires away. Got it. Are you kidding me? The thing I remember, um, is that place going crazy and Warrior fans exchanging looks like, "Is this really happening?" You know, is this, if we pinch ourselves, is this all going to disappear? Another triple. Steph Curry has become a free-throw. Start the second. Inside scooping it home. Stephen Curry. It's tapped away by Thompson. Picked up by Lawson. That's it. Golden State will advance. Golden State goes to the second round. The six seed is p in the three. I think most people think that is like the defining moment of the season for the Warriors, the coming out party for the Warriors and Stephen Curry and all of them. But for me, it was that second round against the Spurs that really made me go, "Oh my God, this is, we have something real here."

H starting here. And a three-point field goal by Curry. Curry defended now by Parker and Bogut setting a big screen, knocking Parker down, but Curry hitting a three. And here is Curry hitting another three. Look at that Golden State bench. They can't believe it. And they've seen it. For them to go in San Antonio and win, not just a game, but a playoff game. And for them to go into, to, into that series and push it, I believe, to six games. Um, it's the Spurs team that went to the NBA Finals that year. Should have won the championship. Won it the next season. That is what that, that's what opened my eyes. Curry didn't even have control of the ball. Picked it up and threw it in. While Golden State had been sent home in the second round, there was no question that they had just put the entire NBA on notice. There was something special brewing on the West Coast, and behind their newly crowned star point guard, the Warriors would soon take their first step towards becoming the game's next dynasty.

May have survived, and now they will advance. The Los Angeles Clippers upon game seven, and they advance to the second round with tears of joy down the face of their first-year coach, Doc Rivers. The Golden State Warriors have fired head coach Mark Jackson. The move comes in the wake of the Warriors' elimination from the basketball playoffs. "We're committed to building a team that can win a championship, and that's all we care about. That's all we think about. So I understand the concern, um, but trust us, and we are moving in the right direction." "Here I want to thank all of you for coming. It's a special day for the Warriors, the day we announce Steve Kerr as the head coach." "My view is not next year, we've got to win 52 games or we've got to get to the second round. My view is, what are we going to do the next decade? What are we going to do the next five years? My goal is to continue this upward trend that the team has already been on."

Following the controversial coaching change in the 2014 offseason, the Warriors were set to take on yet another new direction as a franchise. The front office had seen the team's recent first-round exit as a sign that new leadership was needed in order for the current roster to reach its full potential, a move that wasn't received well by Golden State's now established star. "Just finished a, you know, tough, grueling seven-game series with the Clippers, uh, within 48 hours, they were moving in, moving in a different direction. So I voiced my opinion from day one of how much I love coach, love playing for him, what I felt like he did for our team and our organization, changing the culture." "There were a lot of questions. It, the Warriors were not one of the favorites. You go back and look at the odds, they were not one of the favorites. They brought in a new coach, Steve Kerr, that obviously now people love, but at the time, Steph, you know, was one of the voices that said, 'Hey, I want to keep Mark Jackson.'" "There's no secret I didn't want him fired. When, when it went down with Bob Myers and Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, they wanted to make a decision and they brought in Steve. And my, my whole point was like, if you fire Coach Jackson, you just got to get the next hire right because we're in a position now where you can't mess it up. And, and obviously they got it right."

Steve Kerr would inherit one of the most talented rosters in the league, as the Dubs had added talented wing Andre Iguodala to their now already developed core. Both Klay Thompson and Draymond Green had grown into the perfect complimentary pieces, with the former set to break out in his fourth season after a much improved 2014 campaign, and the latter embracing his role as the emotional leader of the roster. Well, we're wondering who's going to come up with the big defensive stop. That guy. Wow. Draymond Green. There's not a point guard in the association that could have set that play up any better. The Draymond Green part of it, I thought was the final piece where he suddenly looked at the Warriors and went, "Wow, this is a great team." I mean, you look at one through five, and each individual piece is dynamic, but they play perfectly together. And now you have your, with Draymond, you now have your, your, your mentally tough piece of this. The, the Dennis Rodman type, you know, that just does all the dirty stuff. That is a bit of an enforcer, right? So if someone else decides they want to start messing with Stephen Curry or Klay, or something like that, you have, you know, an answer for that. You have a player that can completely go face to face with anyone. Stephen Curry himself was coming off yet another leap in his development as the centerpiece in the Bay, putting together his first All-NBA level season as he averaged a career high in both points and assists. Having learned from some of the game's greatest minds, coach Kerr would implement a completely new offensively focused system in Golden State. Ball movement, free-flowing sets, and fast-paced gameplay took their place as priority on the court. A new philosophy built entirely around Curry himself. Steph had already proven that he was capable of being the primary option, but now he would take his place as the engine powering the league's most explosive offense.

The 10 turnovers. Away. Klay to Curry. Steph to the rack with the then you do. Klay. Get behind. Green. Good. Push out to Steph with McDaniel. Starting the season off on an unbelievable 21 and 3 run. Golden State had shocked the league with a scoring attack that gave opposing coaches nightmares. As the focal point, Stephen Curry had seen his game elevate for the world to see, taking the leap from an All-Star level player and embracing a spot in the conversation of the best player in the NBA. I know now there's a difference between somebody who can be occasionally great and someone who can be counted on to be great in the most pressure-filled moments. At five. Curry for the lead. Down to seven. At five and four. Curry. He did it again. Stephen Curry had. There are very few players in the NBA that I've ever seen have this special, like this aura, this transcendent quality. That's how special Stephen Curry was. He rose in the biggest moments. They didn't phase him. Like, that's huge, right? Like, he embraced the biggest challenges, uh, imaginable, and just asked for more. Curry. It is the Curry. He can. Down a push ahead. Curry down the lane and land behind. A right-hand. Spike. Curry. He's on snakes. Ball out of the boot and hits a fall-away jump shot. And the bench is loving it. I think the number one thing that took Steph from being a normal great NBA player into an all-time great NBA player, I think, was his ability to really hit shots off the dribble. And I think that's still the biggest difference with Steph that we're never going to see from anyone else. Curry, unbelievable. The way that he would come off hesitation drives, the way he would step back for three, the way he would cross over and then pull it back again the other way. He would do things off the dribble that I think we still have never seen. Curry splits the defense, behind the back, fires a three. El puts it in. What a spectacular move. That could be the greatest move I've ever seen. No, I'm getting serious. He's just impossible. I mean, I heard a couple of interviews from some people saying, "Guy, you hate to guard most. Steph Curry, 'cause he's moving all the time. He's running you into his teammates, and, you know, he's, he's on the go. And then if you give him the little bit of daylight, he can get the shot off and score it." Murray hits the three and will hit to the line. That Steph's continued excellence never wavered throughout this new journey for all of us. It was the first sign that this guy wasn't just incredible. He was incredible in the highest echelons. You pick a player, pick anyone on any team. He, Steph belongs in that same category.

The MVP of the NBA, 2014-2015. Wardell Stephen Curry II. When it comes to basketball, is always the smallest kid on my team. I had a terrible, ugly catapult shot from the time I was 14 because I wasn't strong enough to shoot over my head, and I had to reconstruct that over a summer. You want to be the hardest working person in whatever you do, and you'll put yourself in position to be successful. Pops, you're the example of what a true professional is on and off the court. You, I, I remember a lot of your career, um, and to be able to follow in your footsteps, it, it means a lot to me. What I tell people is just be the best version of yourself in anything that you do. You don't have to live anybody else's story. Um, sometimes people make it seem like you have to have certain prerequisites or crazy life stories in order to be successful in this world. Um, but the truth is, you, you really don't. It doesn't matter where you come from, what you have or don't have, what you lack, what you have too much of. But all you need to have is faith in God and undying passion for what you do or what you choose to do in this life, and a relentless drive and the will to do whatever it takes to be successful in whatever you put your mind to. Make sure you live in the moment and work your butt off every single day. And I hope I inspire people all around the world to just be themselves, be humble, and be grateful for all the blessings in your life. And I'm truly honored to be your MVP this year. Thank you very much.

As the franchise's first league MVP since Wilt Chamberlain, it was clear that Curry had elevated himself to a new status in the NBA. Off the court, his following had exploded, making him one of the most popular players in the league. A partnership with Under Armour had resulted in the release of his new line of signature shoes, and he had been the leading vote-getter amongst fans for the 2015 All-Star Game. After starting the season with the eighth highest odds to win a title, Steph had led Golden State to the best record in the NBA, shocking the basketball world by winning 67 games. Nobody could have predicted the Warriors' success in the regular season, but as the playoffs approached, Curry and the Dubs knew they still had to prove to the world and themselves that they were a legitimate contender.

Another turnover. Here comes Curry. Curry to the basket. Foul shots good, and one for his teammates. Curry again from three. Steph Curry fighting the rage. Leaving this. Curry a. Oh, what a pass to Bute. That was sensational. Green scored, looking for Curry. Thompson. Curry lets Holiday go by, and Steph Curry hits a three. Chance to tie it here for Golden State. Curry's got it, and Curry will let it go for three. Comes up short. Offensive rebound. Curry again, and Curry hits a three. The Warriors with their first sweep in a seven-game series since the 1975 Finals, the last time they won the championship, and they're one round closer to achieving their goal of getting back to the top of the NBA.

First playoff matchup between these two teams. Curry again. Back-to-back threes from Steph Curry. Curry steps back. What a handle. Curry got Green off his feet, and count the basket. Also, Steph Curry. Curry for three. Green weaving, trying to get the shot up. No call that way. Curry floats it the other way, and he got it. The MVP gave them 30. And for the first time since 1976, the Warriors are going to the Conference Finals. After losing only two games in the first two rounds, Golden State had gained some momentum entering the Western Conference Finals. Now, with the spotlight on Oracle Arena, Curry would once again demonstrate why he was the league's MVP.

Here comes Curry. Curry for three. Bang! Jones on Curry. Curry the drive, step back two-pointer. Puts it in. Harrell's out to Curry. Puts up a three and puts it in. Oh, stop, please. Curry does it again. Curry, behind the back, drives to the basket. Scoop layup off the glass. As the crowd will celebrate. The Golden State Warriors are in the NBA Finals for the first time in 40 years.

Warrior team haven't been here in 40 some years. So we got four more wins to finish off the job. This is, uh, we should enjoy this. Get recharged, refocused for the finals, ready to. Had been on a mission to bring a championship to the city of Cleveland. The Cavaliers had traded for All-Star Kevin Love, pairing him with the exciting Kyrie Irving in an effort to form a contender around the King James. For the win. It's gone. LeBron James at the buzzer. Despite losing Kevin Love to a shoulder injury in the first round, the Cavaliers had blown through the Eastern Conference playoffs as LeBron James made his way to his fifth straight NBA finals. On the opposite side, Golden State found themselves in a position that had been unthinkable just a few years prior. The Warriors had proven people wrong all season long, and were now hungry to show the world that they belonged. With home-court advantage on their side, the fans in Oracle were electric, ready to witness the Bay's first NBA finals in over four decades.

Curry for three. Puts it in. Curry guarded by James. Curry gets away, scoots inside again. Left-handed. Backs it. Five to shoot. Shoot. James jumper. James now with 25. James on Curry, spinning, puts it up, puts it in. Curry fires. Hits. Stephen Curry puts the Warriors up two. And Steph Curry will dribble it out. Game one goes to the Warriors. With 26 points in his first NBA Finals action, Stephen Curry had helped Golden State pull out a 108-100 overtime winning game one. LeBron had put together a 44-point performance to keep the game close, but an injury to co-star Kyrie Irving at the beginning of OT had left the Cavaliers short-handed down the final stretch. This injury would ultimately keep Kyrie out for the remainder of the series, but even in his absence, Cleveland would come out with a different energy in game two.

James spilling away. Nice shot from LeBron James. Mozgov, left-handed, pretty play from Mozgov. Drives on Green, gets past. Layup is good. Explosive move. And James has 26. Once again, in game two, the result would be decided in overtime, but it was a surprising contribution from role player Matthew Dellavedova that would make all the difference for the Cavaliers.

Delavedova, another floater, and again drops it in. Curry on the drive, step back, puts it up. Air ball. James the rebound, and the NBA Finals are tied at one game apiece. An expiring bounce back in what had been perhaps the worst playoff performance of his career thus far. Stephen Curry had struggled in game two, scoring just 19 points on 5 for 23 shooting. The MVP had been hounded by Delavedova all game long. Delavedova was like, was a pest when it came to Stephen Curry. I hated the name Deli. I hated the concept that he would like somehow slow Steph down, let alone be able to guard him. Part of it was the size. Part of it was the refs doing eight years ago what they do now, which is let people get their hands all over Steph. I watch his feet. Those aren't overachievers' feet. Those are star defenders' feet that I'm seeing. Delavedova after the game the other night on SportsCenter talked about how much tape he watched of Steph before the finals started because they had all those days to get ready. He was beating Steph to his sweet spot with his head.

As the series traveled East to Cleveland, the narratives about both Curry and the Warriors would continue to grow throughout the media. Both teams had a win under their belt entering game three, and the world was tuned in to what could be a pivotal moment in the series.

James on the flush. LeBron James will hold it for the final shot. Pass to James Jones for three. It's good. Right there, guys. We got to keep our poise, and we got to bring our brains to this half. Bring our brains and our hearts and compete. Thompson drives on Mozgov, gets to the rim, and throws it down. Oh, impressive dunk from Klay Thompson. There's the ball handling, reverse layup, bang! Shot is good. Stephen Curry again, and it's a three-point game. Here comes James. Cross to Delavedova. Alley-oop to James, and he throws it down. Six to shoot. James again, this time sets for three. Got it. Timeout Golden State. Curry catches, fires, and hits. Six-point game. Curry looking for a screen, dribbles off two, puts up a three. It's good. Stephen Curry nails another, and it's a three-point game. James has it, and that will do it. The Cavaliers take game three of the finals behind a second 40-point performance in just three games. LeBron James and the Cavaliers would take a dangerous 2-1 lead over Golden State. Once again, Delavedova had done everything he could to slow down Curry, but after a 27-point and seven threes made night by Steph, Matthew was quite literally left with nothing in the tank. It was reported after the game that Deli was in the hospital. He was in the hospital getting IV, he was getting fluids because of how much energy he exerted just to stop Steph Curry. Deli almost died guarding Steph Curry. We have footage of this man in the ice tub, like literally to his neck, trying to guard this man. Like he was, he literally gave everything he had, and there was no excuse. There wasn't, there wasn't like, "Oh, he just had it going." It was like, "No, it's like, 'Oh, I'm trying.'" Or, "No, no, no, no, no." It wasn't none of that. He could barely talk after that's how hard.

He was trying at the risk of going down 31. The Warriors were left with a decision to make. They had to find a way to slow down LeBron when they were down 2-1.

"Um, I'm not going to lie, man. I I thought it was over. They had no answer for LeBron. Like, LeBron was picking them apart. He was scoring at will. He was doing whatever the hell he wanted. There's a reason why they took a 2-1 lead in that series. We didn't know how to deal with, or I didn't know how to deal with, sustained success. This all felt like a fever dream. I had like a PTSD response. I thought for sure, well, it's it's finally coming to an end. This is absolutely going nowhere."

And to Steph's credit, and and this fits into some of the, um, his mental fortitude off the floor, he did not panic in a way that that we did. You know, he he seemingly understood that his team was better. They kept the, uh, they continued to play the the type of basketball that led them. They'd be fine. And ultimately, he was right.

Co crossover, trying to get some space. Goes underneath. Scoop lay is good. Curry. Nice crossover. Fires away. Knocks it down. Quick quarter for Curry. Curry gets past Jones. Pulled back. Puts up a three. Puts it in. Stephen Curry from downtown. And it's a 13-point lead. Green throws it in. Livingston back out. Puts up the three. Knocks it down. Iguodala with his third three-pointer of the game. And these NBA Finals are tied up in two games a piece, having stolen back home court advantage with a dominant 19-point win. You could feel the momentum swinging back in the favor of the Warriors. Coach Kerr's pre-game adjustment had paid off, as Iguodala had been able to hold LeBron to just 20 points on 22 shots, all while allowing Golden State's offense to establish itself in the fourth quarter.

Now, with the opportunity to completely flip the series on its head, game five in Oracle Arena would be a defining moment for not only Golden State but for the growing legacy of Stephen Curry. Curry steps back. Curry for three. Got knocked down and still nailed it.

"I do think that series showed just how clutch Steph was. If you go back and watch that game four, um, and then game five, especially game five at home. 2-2 series. And watch what Steph Curry does to Matthew Dellavedova. Curry steps back. Stephen Curry with some magic. Curry splits the defense, goes down the lane, left-handed, backs it in. That to me was a huge difference between Steph maybe not being one of the all-time greats versus revealing to the world that he is. Some players would have shrunk in that moment, but no, Steph shrugged it off. Took a few games, but he realized, oh yeah, I'm Stephen Curry here."

Curry looking for that opening. Steps back. Crossover. Fires away. Wow. Another three from.

[Music]

[Applause]

Car. Curry for three. Bang!

Exclamation point! The Warriors are one win away from their first NBA title in 40 years. As tip off to game six grew closer, you could feel a different energy across the Warriors locker room. Years of irrelevance had left the franchise shackled with a reputation of failure. Even after their resurgence over the past 3 years, the Warriors had remained the subject of doubts, as people questioned if they had what it took to bring a trophy back to Oakland. However, on this night, a night 40 years in the making, decades of disappointments and struggles would wash away. This was the night Stephen Curry and the Warriors would once and for all take their place in NBA history.

Green back door to Curry. Beautiful pass. Ball moving. Iguodala hesitant to shoot. Now Curry. Not. And hits the three-pointer. Curry rifle pass to Iguodala. Curry gets an opening. Fires away. Got it again. And the dream season is now complete. The Golden State Warriors are the 2015 NBA champions. Their first title in 40 years.

The first championship for the Warriors since 1975. "It felt like a cathartic win for Warriors fans. I think Warriors fans had seen a lot of fun teams, a lot of fun players. Uh, I think you had Run TMC, right? Really fun. Uh, you had the 'We Believe' Warriors, Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Stephen Jackson. And they meant a lot to the culture of the Bay Area, both in Oakland and San Francisco. I think people attached themselves to these players and and really felt like, hey, like they were part of what the Bay Area was. And I think when they won that first championship, it was the first time that Bay Area fans really felt like, hey, we we have a team that's actually great, not just fun."

"You talked about the changing perception of what it meant to be a Warrior. What does it mean now? World champs. This is, uh, this is truly special. This group is, uh, a special group. From the time we started the season, this is what we envisioned. And a lot of hard work goes into it. And all the way down to the last minute of this game. Um, this is, this is what it's all about."

"Well, I was most happy for the for the fans. The fans have been so loyal to that team for so many years, you know, filling up the arena and watching the team's play and having one disappointment after another after another. So I was just happy that the fans had an opportunity to celebrate the championship. I was happy for the guys because they're good people. I got to meet them. And so I I was very happy for the franchise because I'll always be a Warrior at heart."

"When you have a sports movie, pick any of them. Rocky, Hoosiers, uh, Creed. I mean, just pick one. It's always about an underdog. They've never had a movie about an underdog for 30 years. For 30 years being terrible and then suddenly turning and around. So the Warriors win wasn't just improbable. It's so improbable that Hollywood never even tried this story. They thought it would be too ridiculous. So when they ultimately reached this finish line, a finish line that no other movie had even contemplated, you know, was it incredible? Hell yes."

"Fortunately, it's an emotion that a lot of people can share. Um, I'm sure just asking this, if anyone is watching, they're immediately thinking to their own experience. Um, look, all I was doing was screaming for for like an hour. Probably drove up here for the parade. That's the only championship parade I've been to. Uh, I did it all, dude. It was it was that special. It's hard to put in the words how elated I think myself and millions of others were the moment. It was it was awesome."

"You don't know what like what it takes to get there until you actually accomplish it. And it's just a whole another level of freedom after that. Like it's so hard to put in the words. But when you finally hit a horn sound. We in Cleveland, like celebrating changes off. I'm just going to sit here for a second. Put the hours in, the hard work, the practice, fight through injuries. This. It looks so much better in person too."

"Oh man, so the Warriors come off that title. And I'm sure you remember everybody, fans, media, players, everybody. We're saying, 'Cute story.' You know, 'Cute story.' They they were able to get through it, but that's not a team you're going to have to worry about going forward. Can a Warriors repeat? You want the long answer or the short answer? Both. All right, we'll give you a short answer. No. Cleveland Cavaliers are the favorites to win the NBA championship next year."

"The Warriors running through that Gauntlet in the West. You had a lot of doubters. You had a lot of haters in the world who were discrediting and discounting the world championship and saying the Warriors got lucky because of injury, for example. I'm still of the mindset that Cleveland would have won that championship with both Kevin Love and Kyrie were healthy. They were very fortunate, though. Some point guards were missing. You know, Spurs got knocked out. Big breaks. Big breaks."

"The talk after after the first NBA Finals that they won was that they won because of injuries, that Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving got hurt. It was a fluke. You know, you got your one great, you're done. It's never going to happen again. Steph isn't that great. It's just kind of fluky. He didn't even win Finals MVP. Uh, all this stuff, right? Like all this talk in the off season was all what the Warriors heard. And so they came out and said, hey, let's prove a point."

The back. Here comes Curry. He Thompson on the left wing. Curry puts it up. And L Thompson running with Iguodala. The love. What a pass.

"We had OD confidence. We had chemistry, like you said. And like I, the chains was off. We just just go win every single game."

Curry takes it away from Jo. No rebounding. This what the Warriors are doing is an outlier. They're doing something totally different. Now, one of the things with the chip on their shoulders because some people have called them fraudulent champions. All assist in their elevated level of motivation.

"I think I'm not sure I've ever seen a team shoot the ball as well as Golden State. I don't even really know what to compare them to."

Over to Mr. Wide open Klay Thompson with another three. Clay going at the top. And Hogan hammered that one. I don't see anybody on the schedule who can mess with him at this point.

The 16-0 Warriors are now favored by by the basketball power index for every game through March 19th. The defending champions are 22 and 0.

"To watch them come out and punch every one of those critics in the face was vindicating. And the person who was throwing those punches was Steph Curry."

Curry.

[Music]

[Applause]

Again. Back the curry again. And he banked it in. Banked into three. Looking for a foul. He is to a wizard.

[Applause]

Oh, Ronnie Price went to the steal and Curry tuned him up. The last 21 points. A three. A 28-point quarter. Steph had this crazy ability that year. He would just close his eyes, it felt like, or maybe I was closing my eyes, and he would just throw the ball into the sky, and split second later, that ball just falls through the net.

Curry. M. It's Curry leaving through traffic. Step putting it up and in. Double step. His brother nearly knocks it away. He shoots over him and makes it. Deep. Step. Steph Curry is now in the midst of having the greatest single season any player has ever had.

"How in the world did he pull off a Houdini move by Steph Curry? You realize he is leading the NBA in percentage of shots made in the paint. So he's not just beating you from three, he's killing you from two also."

Oh, Curry gets around L. L's open. And it's like the globetrotters just roll back to tap on 2016. And you cannot tell me that anybody can guard this guy. Nobody ever did. Nobody could.

"How did he get out there? Step Curry from way downtown. One point."

[Applause]

Away. Got the half court. Play. Don't watch out. Oh my. The top corner of the backboard. Come on, man. There is simply no way to stop this young brother right here. It is special beyond measure.

Curry. Another three. Oh, it's good. They do have a timeout. Decide not to use it. Curry way downtown. Bang, bang. Oh, what a shot from Curry.

Steph doesn't talk a whole lot. He's not an aggressive person, oral. But his play that year was as close to you as we will ever see from Steph Curry in what was seen by many as the greatest individual season in NBA history.

Stephen Curry would ascend to another level in 2016. His 30 points per game on insane 45-50-90 shooting splits is a dominant level of efficiency that the game had never seen before. A season-long performance that would result in Curry becoming the only player ever to be unanimously voted MVP.

"It doesn't even make sense, man. I mean, it's a dream true to be in this position and very appreciative of, like you said, the club that I'm in. I I was thinking about that in the history of the game. I think it's 60-plus years they've voted on MVP awards. And there's no denying the fact that those legends and the guys that have won MVP obviously deserved it and cemented their place in history by winning the award. But anytime you can do something that's never been done in in the history of the game, I mean, you got to just take a moment and just be appreciative of that."

Steph's incredible season would result in more than just success on the court. Fans across the country, both in Oracle and in visiting arenas, found themselves crowding around pre-game warm-ups, all hoping to just catch a glimpse of the MVP. In stores across the country, his signature shoes with Under Armour were flying off the shelves, putting up sales numbers that rival the industry's most popular athletes. However, it turns out the greatest way to measure Curry's success in 2016 isn't by traditional figures or numbers. It's by the way his popularity influenced the way the game was played forever.

"One of the things that will set Steph's legacy apart is that he has changed the game. Pick a gym right now. Go to any of them. Go to a YMCA. Go to a high-level game. Go to a pro-am. Go literally any level, high school, junior high, across the board. What you will see is somebody shooting a 30-footer. That did not happen before Steph. Kerr and I think it was that vindicating season where everybody started realizing who he was and wanted to be like. I don't I don't go into a gym and rip down a backboard. I can't be 6'8". I don't have that skill set. And that we all looked to Steph and and thought to ourselves, oh my God, that's something I would like to emulate and might be able to."

"His impact was, I think, really seen during that year. And when I say impact, that's what I mean. He's changed everything."

As the Warriors found themselves coming down the final stretch of the regular season, it was clear they had the potential to do something special. Behind Curry's magical season and the team's chemistry being at an all-time high, what had started as a hot take early in the season was becoming more of a reality. Golden State was on pace to break the '96 Chicago Bulls' seemingly impossible 72-win record.

"I don't know at what point we started to even talk about 73 and 9. I'm trying to like, it was probably right after the All-Star break. You start thinking about how if we win, you know, seven out of eight games, just the rest of the way, going to get there. And then it became a huge talking point, probably the last 20 games. And we carried that all the way through and actually got it done."

"I was concerned that they might lose a little something, worrying about because the record is nice, but the championship is what you're playing for. The Warriors had this thing wrapped up pretty early. Like they could have just sat back, you know, taken their foot off the throttle and still gone into the the playoffs as the number one seed. They still could have gone in there with like 65 wins or whatever, and and they would have been fine. But they chased this record. And it affected them. They're human beings. There's only so much fuel in the tank."

What a gorgeous day in the Bay Area. The regular season's complete. It's day one of the 2016 NBA playoffs. Curry for three. Curry open look. Curry long three. Steph had 20 points in half in the first game against Houston.

That 2016 postseason was going to be a coronation for Steph Curry and the and the Golden State Warriors, but more specifically Steph Curry. He was, I think, on average, just obscene amounts of of points, efficiencies, assists, whatever you wanted, whatever you think matters, he was going to, I think he was going to blow guys out of the water.

And then he slipped on that wet spot. He's not up yet. Still time remaining. Arza trying to find some room. Curry falls down and grabs his right leg. Curry asking for help to get up. He fell awkwardly and immediately grabbed his right leg. And you see him hobbling right now.

"It was rough. It was rough. I think that, I mean, I know that affected Steph. He wasn't able to move the same. You all you had to do is watch. You don't need to be a doctor. All you need to do is just watch Steph. And anybody that plays basketball at any level knows that he wasn't the same guy after that."

"You know, you go through the year before, and it was all just upside. You know, and at no point when rooting for an underdog do you feel the pressure of the win. With their regular season success, there was a very strange pressure of, well, this, we got to, we got to actually finish this journey. And when Steph went down in that series, was one of the first times where you started feeling vulnerability and like maybe it won't."

[Music]

[Music]

The 2016 NBA Finals would feature a rematch between Golden State and the Eastern Conference Champion Cavaliers. Unlike the previous year, Cleveland entered the finals with their roster fully intact, as All Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love were both healthy and ready to make for a more even series. Oracle Arena would once again host home court on the game's brightest stage. An epic seven-game series begins tonight with game one.

Curry. The mismatch. Curry the three. Iguodala on the F. The Warriors have six players in double figures. Livingston again. Lowest scoring game of the season for Thompson and Curry combined, yet they win by 15. Warriors take game one courtesy of their bench.

We are set to go for game two. Cleveland trying to bounce back from just their third loss of these playoffs. Here comes Curry for GRE as Green hits a three. Raymond Green's second three-pointer. Draymond Green lighting it up. He's got 15. Inside Livingston back out. Barbosa up top. Thompson for three. Hits it in. Golden State. What an impressive performance. And they'll take a two-nothing lead in these NBA Finals.

The Warriors had set the tone early for the series. The team's defense had held Kyrie and LeBron to some of their lowest numbers of the postseason, and an all-around contribution offensively had resulted in two dominant wins. However, despite the team's success, an underlying concern would come from the reigning League MVP. Over these games, games, Curry had only averaged 14 points on just 44% shooting, down significantly from his regular season numbers. It was obvious that something wasn't right as the series headed east to Cleveland.

Game three would see the home team pick up their first win of the series, handing Golden State their worst loss of the postseason. The Cavaliers had looked unstoppable on their home floor, but but just as they had done all season long, the defending champs would respond in game four.

Curry steps back. Another three for Curry. His second of the game. Kyrie Irving. Oohs and aahs from the crowd. Green racing up the floor. Thompson for three. Puts it in. Stolen by James and James lays it in. Pass yala. Back to curry. Curry fakes. Drives off the glass. It's good. Stephen Curry.

"You got to remember game four, Steph. Cooked for 38. He got off in game four. And I'm sitting there and I'm like, yeah, this is it right here. That that's all."

And at the end of game four was when LeBron, one of the smartest players of all time, purposely steps over Draymond. And as we can tell with Draymond nowadays, completely loses it. Green and James joy at each other. One play continues. The gala. The pull-up that won't go. And a double foul is going to be.

Draymond Green has been suspended for game five for making a retaliatory swipe of his hand to the groin of LeBron James in game four, resulting in a flagrant foul one.

"You know, Draymond just, you know, he said something that, uh, I don't agree with. You know, I'm all cool with the competition. I'm all fine with that. But some of the words that came out of his mouth was a little bit overboard. He doesn't get suspended for that. He actually gets suspended for, uh, the point system because Draymond had been messing around all postseason and he had accrued so many penalty points that the next time he got a flagrant two, uh, or flagrant one, whatever it was, he was going to get suspended."

"Honestly, it was it was genius in part by LeBron. It's, it's, I mean, it's not basketball, but it's basketball, right? You got to play it. You got to play it somehow, some way. I do believe firmly that the Warriors win the series in five if the Draymond Green suspension doesn't happen. Um, that in my opinion was egregious. I don't regret reacting the way I I reacted in the moment because the only reason I can't promise you that I wouldn't react that way because if somebody steps over my shoulder, I'm naturally going to try to get you off my shoulder. That's just who I am. And so I can't promise you that I wouldn't react the same way. But what I do know is I think LeBron coaxed me into that. And I know for sure today, he couldn't coax me into that."

The series flips. It flips. Because at game five, that baby's over. Well, they say closeout games are the toughest ones to win. For Golden State, made a little tougher. James fakes. James drives. James finishes. And the foul. James jumper again. LeBron James has the perimeter game going. Steps back. He tries another three. That's good. LeBron James. Kyrie and LeBron just just completely rise to the occasion. I've never seen two guys play at that level for three straight, three straight games. The craziest thing I've ever seen.

Irving slides inside. Tson right with him. Irving bang. Shot is good. And a Bou. A sensational offensive talent. Nearly falls. Drives now spins back. Tough fallaway shot. It's good. Kyrie Irving. Another brilliant shot. It's a 10-point lead. It's one of the greatest performances offensively I've ever seen in the Finals by Kyrie Irving.

What a road victory for the Cleveland Cavaliers, as the NBA Finals will return to Cleveland on Thursday night. While it may have seemed like just the delaying of the inevitable to some, there was something different about this loss for Golden State. Cleveland walked out of Oracle Arena that night a different team. And suddenly the series felt far from finished.

And here in this city, they're saying this is the biggest game in franchise history and one of the biggest nights in the city's sports history as they try to keep alive their dream of bringing a championship to the city of Cleveland. James on the throwdown. Curry launches long three. Knocks it down. Steph Curry with his fourth three-pointer. Alley up to Thompson. Throws it ahead to Smith. Smith alley up to James. Finishing touches on a magnificent performance.

Game seven Sunday night in Oakland. Although Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson had been able to combine for 55 points, with Curry having his second 30-point performance of the series, it was Cleveland who had once again stayed on the relentless attack for a winner-takes-all game seven in what would be the most watched NBA Finals game since Michael Jordan's final game as a Bull in 1998.

Stephen Curry and the Warriors traveled back across the country for a final showdown in Oracle Arena against the Cavaliers. What they would witness would be a heavyweight battle between a team desperate to make history and a team desperate to prevent it. Help out Smith pass right through the hands of Curry. James a two-handed slam. Green tries another three. Draymond Green four for four from downtown. Green looking to post up. Makes his quick move. Stops underneath. Lay is good. And one. James on the drive. Foul. L counted. At one. LeBron James. Another attack of the basket. Cur pass to put it. And stolen. Here comes Irving. Irving drives past Green. The foul shots good. And one. Oh, what a sweet move from Kyrie Irving.

Curry's got Tristan Thompson on Curry. Crosses over. Three-pointer. It's good. The curry back to Iguodala. Up to. Oh, blocked by James. LeBron James with a rejection. Irving and Curry one-on-one. Irving puts it up. It's go. Kyrie Irving from down.

"I think that I never thought that the Warriors would lose all the way up until Steph missed that three, uh, against Kevin Love."

Curry fakes the three. Steps back. Crossover. Puts up a three.

"If there's like one play like I know I should have done something different, it's that one. Uh, there's way more time on the clock than I thought. Me trying to answer Kyrie's three over me was kind of in my head. And you you force up a shot and you kind of lose momentum. And they they win on your home floor. It's over. It's over."

Cleveland is a city of champions once again. The Cavaliers are NBA champions.

The 2016 NBA Finals was probably my darkest moment as a sports fan. As a sports fan, it's one of the only memories I have during the dynastic run where I'm not excited to talk about that great season has what next to it. Did not win the NBA championship. That's what sucks. I guarantee you they would much rather have not had as many, not had the record, and won a championship than have that happen to them.

"Do we regret going after 73 wins because we may have flamed out in the last in finals? No. Like that was an amazing accomplishment. We knew we could do that. And go, you know, went another ring and we were right there, obviously. So everybody thought 72-9 was untouchable and we got it. So that's the beauty of the league. Like it just keeps getting better and better. 73 wins, I don't think anyone's going to ever touch that. Um, but sadly, it, you know, the ending happened. And that's where we."

[Music]

After blowing a 3-1 series lead to the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals, the Thunder's season is now done. And the question becomes, what's next for Kevin Durant? He does not want to be Patrick Ewing. He doesn't want to be one of the greats of his era who only plays in one finals and never wins a ring.

The Golden State Warriors aren't exactly having the best week, but adding Kevin Durant to his roster could brighten up their off-season. Durant is currently the biggest free agent prize in the NBA, and the newest rumor suggests he could opt to join Golden State if he decides to leave Oklahoma City.

"We went out there to the Hamptons and, uh, we met with him. And part of it was, we knew who we were as as a unit and knew what what kind of person he was and and and obviously his skill set. So it makes sense. Let's go. Let's go get this dude."

"Played with Steph and Andre at, you know, World Championships and, you know, being an All-Star game with the whole Warrior staff and, you know, Draymond and Klay. I just felt like they just meshed so well together and it just seemed effortless. You know, it was It was kind of organic. And I and I felt that, uh, when I met those guys and started talking to them a little bit more the last few days. So this just seems like a perfect fit. Personality wise, man, I was I was excited. I got the opportunity to get to know them on a different level."

The news again coming in moments ago. Kevin Durant heading to the Golden State Warriors.

"Well, I'm viewing it as the weakest move I've ever seen from a superstar. Plain and simple. That's just the how I look at it. And you depart for the team that beat you when you're on the cusp of getting to the finals yourself or ultimately winning the championship for the franchise that you've been with since you've come into the NBA. Today, we got a villain. Kevin Durant now is a villain. We're in the drama business. This is great for the NBA."

"My initial reaction to KD signing to the Warriors was, is he is he serious? When that move happened, coming out of those NBA Finals losses, I honestly forgot about the Finals loss. I was like, all that's it's fine. That's fine. We'll sacrifice one loss to win three and four and five."

That summer. K's what July 1st, whatever. I think maybe 3, 4 weeks after that, uh, Drake was performing at Oracle. So we go go to the concert. It's like me and Draymond. I think KD was there. So Drake's performing. He gets on this, uh, lift that takes him around the arena so you can kind of see the fans and have that moment. So as he's going around, he sees us down there, but he doesn't really acknowledge it. He goes past. He's like, yo, we're in Oracle Arena. You know, it was a tough year, man. Y'all got I got Steph, Draymond, KD now. Oh, uh, uh, number 11. We all start laughing. It's like he he was just in the moment. My brother was with us. Suess with us. And after we get in the car on the way home, he's like, man, man, y'all cheating."

Ander will get the Durant. Sav it. Curry three. Curry on.

[Applause]

The Durant. Another deflection and steal. Curry throws it up to Durant who throws it down with a right hand.

"It wasn't a fantasy basketball team, right? It wasn't two people who were phenomenal at what they do doing things separately. Their legendary skill sets, skill sets that we're talking, you know, maybe probably top 10 of all time individually. Collectively was one of the, you know, top two, top three duos of all time."

O CR got it to Durant. Black who fires from.

"Watching Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant play together, um, is like watching a movie. It's borderline unfair, especially at the time when they were both in their 20s, like, and just completely dominating anyone who got in their path. I think people really wanted them to do the, hey, it's your turn, my turn, but that wasn't the case. And when he fit into that system, the Warriors, I mean, to me, became the greatest team of all time."

Great crossover by Duran. And Looney get the benefit of the. Oh, Curry reverses the Houdini left hand.

[Applause]

Beautiful. Diamond up. Basketball in my mind is always been a lot like music. I could take five of the greatest individual musicians of all time. Just because they're all good individually doesn't mean that they could do that thing together. And that Stephen KD could take this individual excellence, excellence that you do not see, and then do it together and elevate each other was just a pleasure.

It's time for the Portland Trail Blazers facing off against the Golden State Warriors. Hustles a rebound. Durant crossover finishes. Willer gets pass. Durant drives. Oh, blocked by Green. He did it again. Puts it back. Yes.

They would come out of come out on these games, even playoff games, and they would just say, hey, we're just going to end it right now. They go out there in Portland. It was game four. And they go out there and say, yeah, we not, we don't want to go home. We're not going to play game five. We're just going to go ahead. We're just going to end the game. He scored like 50 points in the first quarter. I mean, they just, they win that game by like 30.

This is game one, Western Conference semifinals, as Curry does magic. Gets by go there. Scores. Rejected off the glass. Here comes curry. Curry steps into a three-pointer. Puts it in. Durant three-pointer. It's good. Kevin Durant from downtown.

And Durant drives inside and finishes. Curry draws the foul. Gets the roll and will head to the free throw line. Curry against Aldridge. Flips it up. Oh, beautiful ball handling from Curry. Durant drives inside and finishes as the Warriors are headed to the NBA Finals for the third consecutive year.

"I think we're going to have a lot of conversation about just how they rank all-time. And you might want to put them at the top."

It's the matchup most NBA fans expected. It's the matchup many NBA fans wanted to see. The Cavaliers and the Warriors once again. Steph Curry and the Warriors want redemption after the collapse in last year's NBA Finals.

Curry's got Trin to Topson on fak drives. Lamb. Oh, it's good off the glass. Curry deep three. Pucks it.

[Applause]

In. Durant foul shot goes in. And one. James trying to harass curry. Curry off the dribble. Lamb off the class. The full rebound. Durant incredible opportunity. Durant for three. It's good. Kevin Durant from downtown. And Golden State takes the.

[Music]

Lead. Hurry three. There it is. Redemption for Golden State. One of the great playoff runs of all time is complete. So many, so many, uh, instances in that '17 postseason that the Warriors just turned up and said, hey, this is over. You had to remind yourself to enjoy it. That kind of excellence.

"The Warriors might win another title. I expect to. I think Steph still has some greatness to play out. But will they have another 16-in-1 run? You know, will they have some scenario where all we expect is dominance? No. You know, that's a real unusual situation and one we got to enjoy."

Bo, when you come off a championship run, you go through the off-season, everybody's hyping you all up, celebrating you, all that. You come back to training camp, everybody's excited to be back. And then you're like, oh, 82 games before the games that matter. '18 was a little bit more of a struggle. But I think talent wins out. I think that was where it showed you, not so much like, hey, how much of a great team they were. I think '18 showed you just how talented they were.

The rants in flight. A two-on-one for Golden State. Up high and down hard. It's Curry. Wallace is on him. Got by Rivers. Good. If it.

[Applause]

Goes. Of course, a still crowd in this rockus arena, home of the defending champion Golden State Warriors. They begin their quest for another title against the San Antonio Spurs. Thompson and Gala wide open for three. It's good.

[Applause]

Draymond Green at a layup. Finds Thompson. Passs a three. Brings it across. Pops it. Yes. Three for St. Curry on the drive. Count it and the foul. Holiday tried to wrap him up. Curry tried to work behind screens. Picked up here by Hard. Shoots over Curry. Over. Yes. Oh, he wants this shot right here now. He makes a move and score.

The Golden State Warriors are on their way to a fourth consecutive NBA final. Curry and Durant. Curry throws it up. Durant throws it down. Fouls to good for Cleveland. Ahead to curry. Curry sets. Fires. Puts it up. Bang. Steph Curry from way downtown. Shot clock winding down. Curry's going to have to put it up. Launches it up. Oh, he knocks it down. There's the buzzer.

There's a new dynasty in the NBA. The Golden State Warriors. Champions once again. Back-to-back titles. Three in four years. And the latest with a sweep.

"Sports fans are not entitled to dynasties, man. I didn't think I was ever going to have one in my life. And that they ushered one in is nothing short of special."

"I think '18 proved to us the margin of error for that team was insurmountable. Insurmountable. The only way you're beating this team, guys get hurt. It's the only."

[Music]

[Applause]

Way. Ibaka trying to stay with Durant. Knocks it away. And Durant slipping. Durant goes down holding his leg. Ibaka goes up and it's foul. Down the other end. And Durant grabbing that right leg. His teammates going over to check on him.

"We saw the shortcomings of a team that was built around a super team, right? I I think that first year, I think you could argue that, you know, they had a ton of really good still in their prime playmakers and role players. By the time you had gotten into 2019, the Warriors had really nothing left. Nothing left outside of those like top three, four guys."

Low gets pass. Falls down. Lost the ball. Thompson running the floor. And a foul. And Thompson grabs his left knee. Now ring in pain. Steph Curry slamming the ball on the court. So upset. And everybody for the Warriors and the franchise and here on the stands holding their breath. Now the Warriors just inbound. And that's it. There's a new NBA champion. And it's a team from Toronto, Canada. We the North are now we the Champions. The Raptors, the 2019 NBA champs.

After the 2019 NBA Finals, it was hard not to think that things were ending. Adrian Wojnarowski reporting that Kevin Durant is in fact headed to Brooklyn.

"I view the Golden State Warriors as being a playoff team. They're not going to fall off the radar, but I don't think they're winning a title anytime soon. And that means the dynasty is over."

Klay Thompson had just tore his ACL, who's going to be out for a while. Look up and down the roster and just like, man, how are they going to figure this out? A portion of you wanted to almost become reflective. We still believed in the team and still believed we have talent, but we didn't have the talent on the floor yet. And so you could neither move on or really get a sense of where they were. You need to know they're going to come screaming back the next year or this really was the.

[Music]

End. I love he claps out on the shooting hand. Stop curry with a lot of contact. Uhoh. He's holding that left wrist. Worst possible news for the Warriors. Klay Thompson has suffered a full tear of his right Achilles. St is running into the front court. Draymond finds him. Another three. Got it. 62-62. Steph is doing everything. There is a different energy to this man's game.

The Memphis Grizzlies are in the playoffs. They eliminate the Golden State Warriors. Just didn't go our way. Tried to make the most of it. Come back. Bottle this up. Everybody make the right strides. Take advantage of the summer. And you don't want to see us next year.

Two years removed from their loss in the 2019 NBA Finals, the expectations for Stephen Curry and Golden State had changed, or at least they had for everyone outside of the newly built Chase Center. You see, there are certain signs that signify the fall of a dynasty: conflict amongst the team, star players' career-changing injuries, the closing of a prime window. In some ways, the Warriors franchise had seen flashes of all three. And now, after finishing with the league's worst record in 2020, they had failed to make the playoffs for a second straight season after being bounced from the play-in game by the Grizzlies a year prior.

Questions began to arise about whether or not Stephen Curry was capable of once again leading his team to a championship, especially after years of having the luxury of sharing a team with one of the most talented scorers the game has ever seen. After all, how could someone be an all-time great without adding an NBA Finals MVP to their resume? Curry heard all the noise, and he, as well as other members of the franchise in the Bay, knew that the core pieces were still intact, on pace to finally be healthy and able to share the floor together come playoff time. The development of the electric young guard Jordan Poole over the past year, return of former Finals MVP Andre Iguodala, and the addition of two lottery picks in Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody meant that the Warriors roster was retooled and finally ready to make some noise.

Just in time for the NBA's 75th Anniversary season. "You know, our culture remains the same. And everything that we do on the court and how we play, you, it'll be probably pretty similar to years of past where it highlights, you know, how different we are as a team, especially, you know, when me and Klay are out there and Draymond from the opening tip of the regular season, you could see there was a familiar fire behind these Golden State Warriors. They opened the first 20 games of the season with an 18-2 record with Curry going off for 28 points per game over the stretch. This included a triple-double in an opening night win over LeBron James' Lakers and a 50-point, 10-assist explosion versus Atlanta that made him the oldest player to ever put up the stat line.

Steph had faced his share of criticism since the team's collapse in the 2019 finals and coming off one of the best statistical seasons of his career the previous season was on a mission to prove that he was still playing at a two-time MVP level.

"It, it's just incredible to watch Steph. I think his greatness is at the level now where we just expect it. Maybe that's the true measure of greatness when you know a guy can hit nine or 10 threes and you don't even bat an eye because you've seen it before and you know you're going to see it again."

After weeks of buildup, a crowning moment of the regular season and his career came on December 14th, 2021.

"The three-point record has always been something I've looked at and kept track of and understand, you know, the longevity that is required to reach those heights. What Ray Allen has done, stretching the imagination of what it means to shoot the three-pointer and make it a pivotal and important part of your game. I've taken that confidence and run with it. We all talk about, you know, who's the GOAT. And the reality is, it's all subjective. But the one thing that isn't subjective when you talk to anyone is who's the greatest shooter ever. There is no debate."

On the cusp of history, the Golden State Warriors find themselves in New York City at Madison Square Garden as Steph Curry is now two away from setting the all-time three-point mark. Ray Allen is here, who the current record holder for the most threes in NBA history. Reggie Miller is here. Steph's dad is here. Uh, it's, it's just sort of a celebratory mood here tonight. So Steph to tie it. There it is. I knew he would make his first one. He equals Ray Allen very quickly. Barely took a minute and stands on the doorstep of history right now. There's that cross screen again to Wiggins. Steph three. There it is. NBA three-point history. Stephen Curry stands alone as the most dominant distance shooter the game has ever seen. 2,974 threes and counting.

"Got much to say for. I appreciate everybody that's had a part in me being who I am on the court, off the court. Like this is a a career milestone because of everybody I got to suit up with, everybody that set screens for me, everybody that passed me the ball, everybody that believed in our offense and believe in winning in the process. So, um, this is truly special, man. To know I watched Ray when, uh, he passed Reggie in Boston, and I have this moment at the Garden. This number right here has been on, been on my mind for a long time. So I'm going to enjoy every minute of it. And, uh, and just know that, uh, I'm the greatest three-point shooter in the in the history of the league. That's, that's special to say. I'm finally ready to say it. Baby, let's go."

The New Year brought some exciting moments for the Warriors, none bigger than the return of Steph's longtime Splash Brother Klay Thompson after being away from the game for 941 days. He went to reach and Clay down the lane.

"I think he's healthy, yo."

Finally having one of the game's great backcourts reunited, the Warriors were able to continue to build chemistry throughout the early months of the year and into the All-Star break. With the NBA's most exciting weekend being held in Curry's birth city of Cleveland, a place where he had experienced some legendary Finals battles, the writing was on the wall for a big performance from the eight-time All-Star, and he would deliver one of the most memorable nights in the event's history.

[Music]

Oh my goodness. See, I I had a few flashback nightmares.

[Applause]

Stop everyone out here and on with.

[Applause]

Him. Keep.

[Applause]

Up. And the Kia MVP. To its only fitting. One of the NBA's 75 all-time great. Steph Curry. See this trophy has a very special meaning. Honoring Kobe, Gigi, everybody that was lost two years ago. So, uh, very humbled, very blessed. And, uh, I really appreciate.

Following the buzz around Steph's big night, the Warriors cooled off down the final stretch of the season. Despite the team's championship core still being intact, they were dealing with a crucial injury to their glue guy Draymond Green and experienced the growing pains that come with incorporating so many new pieces into the fold. As Golden State continued trying to build chemistry on March 16th against the Boston Celtics, they would be hit with another devastating blow.

Now the Warriors being kind of grimy defensively, but Marcus Smart saves the possession. But again, Tatum drops it. Yeah, so here it is right here. Stephan Marcus are going for the loose ball. Marcus dives and he goes right into Steph's knee. In order to be healthy come playoff time, Stephan Curry would miss the final 12 games of the regular season, in which Golden State would go 5 and 7. To in the year, despite the rough ending, the Warriors still managed to finish with a 53 and 29 record, good enough for third best in the West. Curry would finish the year with his eighth.

All NBA selection averaging 25 points, six assists, and five rebounds per game and led the NBA in three-pointers made for the seventh time in his career. Golden State now turned their attention to the postseason with their Trio of Curry, Thompson, and Draymond all finally being set to be active and sharing the floor for the first time since the 2019 finals. Only this time, the mission was to once again bring gold home to the Bay.

Round one would see the Warriors match up with soon-to-be back-to-back MVP Nicolo yic and the six-seeded Denver Nuggets. Curry was set to make his return in game one but was regulated to a roll off the bench for the first time in his playoff career, playing with the miniatur restriction to air on the side of caution. This opened the door for Jordan P to make his playoff debut as a starter, in which he'd explode for 30 points in a 123-107 win.

In game one, it was clear the Nuggets just didn't have the fire power to hang with the high-scoring offensive attack of Golden State, as the Warriors began experimenting with a deadly small ball lineup that included Curry, P, Klay, first-time Allstar, and Wiggins and Draymond Green at the five. The fast-paced scoring would lead to Steph dropping 34 points in 22 minutes off the bench in a game two win. And once he returned to the starting lineup, Golden State would complete the gentleman's sweep, winning the series 4 to one.

Round two would be Golden State's greatest challenge yet, as they faced the team they knew all too well following their elimination the previous year. The young men Memphis Grizzlies had been on a tear during the regular season, earning the two seed after riding the momentum of Rising Star John Morant, matchup nightmare Jaren Jackson Jr., and a group of gritty role players. This would be the first playoff series that the Warriors didn't have homecourt advantage since the 2018 Western Conference finals against Houston.

But Golden State would enter game one with revenge on their minds. "But he's got to take it personal if they're going to defend him with a small G. Oh, Gary Payton with the flush. Goes right at Bane. Curry step-back three. It's good. Steph Curry with his fifth three-pointer. HB to Thompson. Thompson fake, step three-pointer. Klay Thompson from downtown." They would complete a 117 to 116 win in Memphis, led by a 31-point performance by Jordan Pool off the bench. Curry and Morant had combined for 58 points, going back and forth in a contest that showcased the battle of the present and future at the point guard position. Despite taking the loss, Jaw who had been a force all season long, gave the Warriors a front-row seat to his growing greatness.

In game two, "Seven a shoot. Mor looking for a runway. Now a step back. Mor. Memphis leads by one. Switch. Now he's got Pool. The shake. Get the dazzling." "It's a tough feeling, um, but we understand the big picture. You know, we came, got one. Take care of our home court on on Saturday. You have to learn the lessons you need to learn. We know we're ready for it and we ready to bounce back. Get ready for for the game on Saturday."

Golden State had still been able to steal home court advantage for the series, and in game three, showcased exactly why they still belonged at the top of the Western Conference. "W Coast to Coast finishes at the b." Golden State would pull off a convincing 30-point win with Curry dropping 30, along with a combined 48 points from Klay Thompson and Jordan P. An injury to Morant in the fourth quarter would all but seal the fate of the Grizzlies for the rest of the series, as Golden State would win two of the next three, including 34 and 29-point daggers from Stefan to send Memphis home in six.

"We can continue to build on this as we look forward to the next round, no matter who we play. So, not lost in this journey is the fact that we're still trying to peak at the right time. It's, it's an exciting time to get past this series and and look forward to what's coming next."

Golden State's matchup in the Conference Finals would be an unexpected but deserving opponent, as the fourth-seeded Dallas Mavericks had shocked everyone by beating the defending Western Champs and number one seed Phoenix Suns in seven games the previous round. Luca Dončić had already proven to be one of the game's elite players and now was looking to add a trip to the NBA finals on his already growing list of accolades. The Warriors came out firing from the opening tip in game one, handing the Mavericks a loss in back-to-back games in the Chase Center to open the series.

But it was game three, the first game in Dallas, that Stephen Curry would demonstrate the level of play that separates champions from the rest. "Curry takes a hand off, accelerates front court, gets all the way inside, hand up and good, and a foul. Curry left corner with the shot. It's up and splash. Warrior R take the lead. Three. Steph got it. Oh, what a shot. He is ruthless. Hurt a three. Bulls high. Was that shimmy to you or for me? You okay?"

The Mavericks would respond with a win of their own in game four, but similar to round one, Golden State would answer with a 10-point win to eliminate Dallas in five. Stephen Curry's performance earned him the inaugural Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP award, the first elusive postseason MVP trophy of his career. "This is a blessing, obviously. Is team ever to get back here with Draymond said, for us to be out the mix for the last two years and to be where we belong, back in the finals. Uh, this is special. Our fanbase to do it in this new building. This isn't the ultimate goal, but we got to celebrate this cuz all we went through these last three years."

Earning a sixth finals appearance in 8 years, the first led solely by Curry since 2016, there was a legacy on the line in the 2022 NBA finals, and Stephan was ready to respond. "Harder baby, going back to the sh where [Applause] we."

58 years. That's how long it had been since Wilt Chamberlain's Philadelphia Warriors met Bill Russell's Boston Celtics in the 1964 NBA Finals. A lot has changed about the game of basketball in the decade since then, but it was only fitting for two two of the NBA's most historic teams to match up in the championship series of the league's 75th Anniversary. The Boston Celtics had quite possibly the most difficult road to the finals in recent memory, having to go through the Kevin Durant-led Brooklyn Nets in round one, the defending NBA champion Bucks in round two, and the number one seeded Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Following a first-team All-NBA selection at only 23 years old, Jason Tatum had emerged as a top player in the league over the course of the playoffs, winning the first-ever Eastern Conference Finals MVP. He, along with fellow All-Star Jaylen Brown and Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, made the Celtics a dangerous opponent for Curry and the Warriors on the game's biggest stage.

"We got the sense from you last summer that you believed you could be here. Then, what was it that you saw or believe that made you feel like that the team you had could be here? You could feel like we were close, close to being in that conversation where you a serious contender to come out of, you know, out of the West. And then coming into this year, like I still was surprised by our start, like I said, but that was the gas in the tank for the whole summer for the start of this year, knowing that we we're going to be, uh, a problem this year. And we got four more wins to to make it all worth it. But it's a good feeling."

One has been the NBA's golden standard for a decade. The other is the game's original monarchy. They will make the next chapter of NBA history together. Game one saw the Warriors get off to a hot start with Stephen Curry playing at a level that the game hadn't seen in over two decades. "They leave Curry all alone and that's reap deadly and stad with a little bit of pace into the front court behind the screen that Curry locked in. He's on the board. Williams looks that Curry and he laces it. Curry behind the screen. Oh, they lost him again and he makes some pain. He's hotter than fish." Curry's historic 21-point first quarter was the most scored in a single quarter of a Finals game since Michael Jordan in 1993. But the resilient Celtics stayed close throughout the second quarter and found themselves with the lead as the two teams headed into halftime. The third quarter had belonged to the Warriors all postseason long, and this night would be no different, as Golden State would win the quarter 38 to 24 to take a 12-point lead.

However, it was Boston who had been resilient all season long, that went on a historic run in the fourth to shock the basketball world. "To Horford for the lead. Boston up by three. Al Horford in his first NBA final. An 11-0 run for Boston. Brown on the baseline. Horford inside. Counted and one." Celtics take game one of the 2022 NBA finals in one of the most surprising upsets in recent finals history. The Celtics had handed the Warriors their first home loss in the playoffs, stealing homecourt advantage and putting the pressure on Golden State for a must-win game two.

"It's not ideal, but, uh, um, believe in who we are, how we responded all year, how we responded in the playoffs after a loss. So, learned a lot from that fourth quarter. Obviously, they made a lot of shots. We know they're a good team. So are we. We got to respond on on Sunday."

After failing to capitalize on a 34-point statement from Curry to open the series and facing the possibility of traveling to Boston down 0-2, the Warriors were fully aware of the stakes involved with game two and adjusted their game plan accordingly. Determined to slow down the Celtics' role players' hot shooting, Golden State's defensive intensity was noticeably high, no one more so than the former MVP himself. Stephen Curry would have one of the most impressive defensive performances of his career, holding his own in iso situations and coming up with three steals over the course of the night. On the offensive end, he would continue his aggressive attack, scoring 29 points and knocking down 5 threes to help bury the Celtics 107 to 88.

While getting the win relieved some pressure, it didn't completely solve the Warriors' problems, and they knew they had to steal back one of the two games in Boston to regain their chances of winning the series. "Must-win game. We knew that our way back into the series, give us some life. And now we get to, uh, take the show on the road and try to go win one in Boston. We have to. So, it's a good night."

As expected, the Celtics were ready to defend TD Garden in game three, with Tatum, Brown, and Smart all combining for 77 points to help Boston go up 2-1. Curry had come up with another big night, dropping 31 points and playing a big part in another large third quarter for Golden State, but foul trouble had led to an extended stay on the bench early in the fourth quarter, allowing the Celtics to pull away late.

"The situation is what it is. We're on the road. We must-win game. Game four. We had a must-win game after, you know, tough, tough one in game one, and we got game two. So, the flow, we still feel like we obviously can win the series and got to come out with the right intensity and focus in game four."

"He's been so much for our team, the whole Bay Area. He are the reason when things were bad that we still felt like we just got to keep working. We're going to figure it out because we still have Steph Curry."

Game four was once again seen by the Warriors as a must-win. Either they steal back home court with the momentum headed back to the Bay, or they find themselves faced with the notoriously difficult 3-1 deficit that has ended the championship hopes of many contenders. Boston's Garden was rocking from the opening tip, with everyone in the building knowing how pivotal the result would be for the rest of the series. Jason Tatum and the Celtics started the game strong, answering the Warriors' offense shot for shot in a close first quarter.

However, it was Stephen Curry, normally known for his quiet demeanor, who had heard the talk from Boston fans in game three and was determined to let them and the world know that this was his moment. "Back-to-back long distance threes and a five-point lead for the Warriors. Gets free, get some contact. L got it and one. Steph Curry felt the bump. Brown picks up his third foul. A chance for a three-point play."

The Celtics had still managed to go on a run in the second quarter, following the lead of their two All-Star wings, on the way to a six-point halftime lead. But from the moment the team stepped onto the court for the second half, it was Curry who would elevate his game to legendary status. "Curry launches a three. It's Curry. It's good. Steph Curry from downtown. Curry again. Oh, Steph Curry from way down. Out. He's furious. There was contact there."

Boston would try to stay within striking distance like they had in game one, but every time they would get close, it seemed like Steph had an answer, finding ways to score and letting the crowd know exactly what they were witnessing. As the final buzzer sounded, Curry had put on an all-time great performance, finishing with 43 points and 10 rebounds to tie the series headed back to the West Coast.

"I know you won't say it, but we can. It looks like you were really just putting these guys on your back right now. I know your foot's not right. How are you doing it? Been here six times. You got a lot of experience in terms of just staying composed, confident, and what you can do. Uh, the endurance to be able to fight through the foot and just play my game for, you know, however many minutes I'm out there. Uh, uh, but to win on the road and get home court advantage back. Big, big for this group. Special shout out Steph Curry, man. What a, what a performance. My goodness. Guy is the one of the greatest to ever run that point position. My goodness. By any means necessary, baby."

Back in the series, as the first player in NBA finals history to record a 40-point, 10-rebound, and seven-threes made statline, Steph's game four did more than just make a statement in the arena. It sent out a message to every fan, critic, and purist the game has to offer. Stephen Curry was not just capable of performing in the NBA Finals; he was out to prove that he's one of the best performers the game's biggest stage has ever seen.

Even though the Celtics hadn't lost back-to-back games at any point in the postseason, the odds seemed to be swinging in the Warriors' favor as the series shifted back to Chase Center for game five. The confidence from their previous win clearly leaked over early on, with Golden State jumping out to a 24 to 8 lead with 2 minutes to go in the first quarter. Boston had made a name for themselves all season long with their ability to claw back into games, and despite the early deficit, would put together a huge second and third quarter to only trail by one heading into the fourth.

Stephen Curry had struggled from beyond the arc throughout the game and would eventually fail to hit a single three for the first time in his postseason career. But the attention the Celtics paid to him would open up opportunities all over the floor for his teammates. No Warrior saw this impact as much as Andrew Wiggins, who after having a big performance in game four, followed up with his best game of the postseason, scoring 26 points and continuing his elite defense down the stretch to help Golden State pull off a 104 to 94 win. The Warriors were now one win away from once again writing their name in history books.

"Yeah, one more, one more. This is the moment for Steph to define and and show everybody I can carry a team to the to the top of the mountain and win a championship on my back. I think they smell blood. I think that Steph Curry. I have a very hard time imagining he's going to even come close to duplicate his performance from game five. I think he's going to come there in Boston and play lights out for the second game in a row."

On June 16th, 2022, the Golden State Warriors would step on the floor in Boston with the hopes of ending their season via an elimination game six. There was a heightened sense of urgency for the Celtics, who after overcoming two seven-game series already in these playoffs, were fully prepared to stretch this series to its limit. The home team would come out firing, pulling ahead 12 to 2 early on in an attempt to shake the confidence of the Warriors.

However, like champions do, Golden State would respond accordingly, and it would come in the form of a historic run unlike anything seen in the finals in the past 50 years. "Three quarter right side is good. Draymond Green chips it out. P and P nails the three. P pushes, finds Wiggins. Wiggins throws it down. And the Celtics need another timeout." Golden State scored 21 in a row. The Warriors' 21-0 run forced the Celtics to play from behind the remainder of the contest, and although they would eat into the deficit slightly in the third quarter, it was Stephen Curry who would fittingly shut the door on Boston's championship hopes.

"Curry wide open three. Got it. It's good. Steph Curry from downtown. Curry again. Oh, Steph Curry from way downtown. Out. He's furious. There was contact there." Behind Curry's 34 points, 22 of which came in the second half, Golden State had achieved what seemed to be impossible early in the series, defeating Boston in three straight games and once again earning themselves basketball's ultimate prize.

"The emotions just pouring out. It might be his fourth, but it means so much. It's over. The Golden State Warriors return to a familiar place. They're on top of the NBA world. The fourth title in 8 years. The Dubs Dynasty is still very much alive. Congratulations, you are the 2022 NBA champions. And for the first time ever, he's an NBA Finals MVP. The 2022 Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award goes to Stephan [Music] Curry."

"I'm happy for everybody, but I'm thrilled for Steph. To me, this is his crowning achievement in what what's already been an incredible career. A huge goal in all this is legacy, right? Is to sit back when it's all said and done and and just look at the all-time greats and and and find where you fit in with all that. And if you can be in, like, the top five, wherever that's astounding. I mean, that is a that is an achievement in life that very few human beings are ever going to be able to attain. I totally understand too why Steph and why so many other people consider 2022 to be the most special of the four titles, um, just because it it Steph finally shut up all the haters, the remaining ones that were out there. Um, it boosted his legacy where he's now in a conversation with Magic Johnson as the greatest point guard ever. Um, it's incredible how people look at him before and after those 2022 NBA Finals. I think Steph himself feels that that was his greatest moment. To him, I think it felt, I get to prove to myself and everyone around me, the players, the fans, everyone, that I can win without KD to begin with. I can win with Kevin Durant, and then I can win myself."

"After the Warriors now have done the arc in every possible way. They did it in the nobody possibly would see this coming. They were underdogs on that first title, and it's the hoer run. How the, how the hell did they do this? Then they did it as the favorites. They were the Cobra Kai, and they won. You know, everybody hated them with Durant, and they didn't care. They shook it off. That last one was the, oh, you don't believe in this anymore. You know, it's, it's the end of the rank. Oh, you guys are too old, or this is past you, you know, you're never going to get back to where you were. And they completed it on that arc as well. You're lucky if you get one championship. To get four, and for them to cover each one of those, those, you know, story lines is an [Music] impossibility."

"What does Steph Curry mean to you personally as a fan of the game of basketball? Steph Curry is my favorite player. Uh, what he means to me, I I think Steph is almost joy. I think to to me watching basketball, uh, he's made basketball fun to watch on a daily basis. I I'm, you know, you hardcore fans like you, like the fans, everyone watching, and I, we're going to watch basketball regardless. No matter what, we're going to go on YouTube, we're going to look at highlights, we're going to go anywhere, we're going to find something about basketball. But to me, Steph made basketball so much more fun and enjoyable to watch than any other player in the existence of my life. If there is somebody, um, in my sporting life who has provided me more unadulterated joy than Steph Curry has, I don't know who it is. And and that is true not only on a moment-by-moment basis, that second he could do something that makes me genuinely happy, can change my day. He's also done it throughout seasons, throughout years, throughout a career. You know, I think it's his defining feature, um, as as a player. He is he is capable of just adding relentless joy into your life. Like I say, he's an anomaly. He'll be, he'll be, he is to me, the most unique point guard ever played the game because of the way he plays it. I just sometimes I just shake my head in astonishment at at some of the stuff that he does. Uh, he's he's remarkable."

"Well, I think one of the most exciting parts about Stephen Curry is that, um, we don't know how the story is going to end. The story is not over. While Steph's legacy is already very impressive, and he's going to be known as one of the all-time greats, the difference between him being a four-time champion and a five-time champion is is profound. He is now, if he wins a fifth title, I think it's safe to say he's the greatest point guard of all time. Right now, you can't, you can't confidently say that Magic is either the best, or at least there's a, there's a good debate to be had about that. If if Steph wins a fifth championship, he's now on, in my opinion, on the Mount Rushmore of all-time greats."

"This team has an association, um, and an importance in my life that I can't defend. But I never saw this level of success. Never thought we'd have one championship. Let alone before. I never thought we'd have have one All-Star, let alone a top 10 player that came on the back of Steph Curry. So, you know, he has changed so many things, um, and I think his legacy will reflect that. I think we're going to look back 15, 20 years from now, some guy's going to break his record, whatever it is. Some guy's going to shoot 25 threes a game, he's going to make 15 of them. I think we're going to look back and say, this all started with Steph. Like, all this basketball as it is today, this is because of what Steph did and what he started in 2014. This is what happened. This guy, can you believe it? Used to shoot pull-up threes with 21 seconds on the shot clock. He used to do that. And somewhere along the way, he won four, five, six championships. You know, he's a top five, top 10 basketball player of all time. He's a great point guard. Is he the best? Maybe. Is he better than Magic? I would argue probably. But all that doesn't really matter. I think this guy changed and made basketball the way it is. And, you know, maybe basketball changes again 50 years from now. But 10 years ago, 10 years from now, and I think 10 years after that, I think basketball has played the way that Steph Curry plays, and he started it. I think that's his greatest legacy. [Music] Oh, got oh."