I love compiling the behind-the-scenes videos because 1) our brains are the most advanced prediction machines in the universe and so when I immerse myself in the in-arena clips that I find — plus the fact that I’ve actually been in that arena roaming around many times in the past — it feels like I was actually there, and 2) you spot little intricacies and movements that aren’t readily apparent from the TV broadcast.
Here are some of those, from one Wardell Steph Curry “MVP” 56-point performance the other night in Orlando, thanks in large part to the copious notes (see Comments) that I always take during the game livestreams:
Quinten Post’s defense
Quinten Post seemed like he disrupted one out of every three or four Magic possessions. Here are some notes I took as the game went on:
11m18 Q1 — Quinten pushes Goga Bitadze on the screen no call, nice veteran-type move,
8m26 Q1 — QP breaks up alley-oop attempt to Paolo Banchero.
6m56 Q2 — steals an entry pass with his long arm, which leads to Curry going 94 feet with a reverse layup finish. One clip in the BTS video has a great angle of this play with a slight resemblance to Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four:
6m02 Q3 — Post disrupts a Paolo attack, leading to a Steph 3 that puts the Warriors up, 79-75.
5m14 Q3 — QP gets another rim-protecting disruption, then misses a 3 on the break from a nice pass from Buddy Hield, who btw later also deferred to Steph on a fast break (can we give Buddy some freakin’ credit?).
4m54 Q3 — Quinten gets Cole Anthony hesitating on a dribble and Draymond Green ends up with the rebound.
5:40PM PST, 1 hour and 40 minutes into the livestream watch party, I insist that we give Post his flowers as he’s been a “defensive force” this game.
11m18 Q4 — Post blocks Jonathan Isaac at the rim
9m53 Q4 — QP disrupts a Paolo attempt
7m18 Q4 — Quinten blocks an Anthony Black layup, then runs the floor and dunks a fast break layup miss by Green.
I hate to brag, but at about 7:03PM PST, Draymond takes the podium and says:
He’s been playing great basketball, obviously, shooting the ball well, but what he did defensively was bigger than everything. The anchor defensively that he was there in that second half, he protected the rim like nobody’s tomorrow, got a lot of deflections, forced a lot of misses, came up with some big rebounds. And so I think we all in basketball fall in love with the shot-making. That’s just a natural thing. But I was more impressed with what he — the energy that he brought on the defensive end. He was communicating, so everybody who’s out on the floor, you hear him communicating, you’re more comfortable to press up and get into the ball and all those, forced to drive and know that you got help there. So I was — as great as his offense was and shot-making was to get us going there in that in third quarter, overall, his entire game, I thought his defense was incredible.
By the way, the celebration by Steph in the right panel of the BTS video thumbnail and the top panel of this article’s main photo, that’s after one of Quinten’s threes.
One more thought on Post, as there’s even more below: his screens for Curry are wiiiiiiiiiiiddddeeee. 👍
Kia Center
There were tons of No. 30 jerseys at the arena, as Steve Kerr later alluded to on the podium, saying, “There’s a lot of 30 jerseys out there everywhere we go, but when we come East these fans only get to see them once a year. And so they know that, or they’re hoping they get a treat and they got a treat tonight.”
I also noticed the crowd was super-diverse. Obviously, Orlando is a tourist spot, but a good percentage — I’d say at least half — of the people posting clips on Instagram from Kia Center were not speaking or posting in English.
I’ve said this many times before on our live chats, but to me, Orlando is perhaps an even better road destination for DubNation than the more ballyhooed Miami. This is because, depending on your ticket, you can get access to the Warriors tunnel, a super-long corridor that leads directly into their locker room. I can’t think of another arena, Chase Center and good ol’ Oracle Arena included, that gave that much access to fans.
Quinten signed a Curry Brand shoe there and there’s a clip of it at the end of the BTS video (embedded above). So the opportunity to be that close to a Warrior puts Orlando over Miami, on my list. And then to know that, walking around, it’s a super-diverse crowd, that makes it all the more better. Orlando’s small downtown nearby is also pretty nice and I wouldn’t rank it too far behind Miami’s gorgeous oceanside views by Kaseya Arena.
As Post signed the shoe for a kid, the kid said, “You’re gonna be an All-Star in a few years.”
QP replied, “In a few years?”
Now, we’ll probably never know what was going through Post’s mind at the time, but one plausible possibility is that he thinks he’ll be one not in a few years — like, maybe sooner. I hope that’s the case because, if it is, I applaud his quiet confidence.
Here’s QP postgame on his defense:
Yeah, I thought I did some good things out there defensively. Still, you’re learning, right? You’re learning when to step up, when to help, when to stay home. It’s all those. It’s all in the details and in this league, it’s all about knowing where to be. And I feel like I’m adjusting and I’m learning every game.
He tends to say, “Right?” a lot on the podium. He has this humility with a bedrock of common sense. It’s a unique way to get through the trials and tribulations of being a rookie. I wonder how much of that is just himself versus advisement he’s getting from the coaching staff.
Getting back on topic, by now it’s probably been widely reported, or maybe you heard on the broadcast, that there were MVP chants for Steph as he shot free throws late. We have clips from some lower bowl attendees who claimed to have started those chants, in the BTS video above.
So hot, he had more than one celly
The “match” (see how international I’ve become?) or game itself was never really quite decided until the very end, so obviously the Night-Night didn’t make an appearance, but Curry did have a couple of celebrations aka “cellys”.
One was tied to a pregame ritual which has seemingly morphed from feigning a quarterback hike and pass to his bodyguard, Yusef Wright, using his rolled up shooting shirt as a football. At least at the Orlando pregame, he turned the shooting shirt into a golf ball and mocked a chip shot.
Later in the game, he had a horse gallop and also that chip shot celly (see video).
And then after the dagger that had Banchero stumbling with under three minutes to go, Steph threw his hands up in the air as if to say, “Are you not entertained?” (AP Photo/John Raoux)
Fifty-six will certainly culminate in multiple cellys.
Trayce’s status
• Trayce Jackson-Davis did the tunnel run leading into the pregame warmups, even though during the livestream we looked up the NBA injury report and he was listed as out with an illness.
That is to say, I’d be surprised if he were still out with that illness tonight.
Jimmy old school in more ways than one
The Warriors have all these pregame handshakes right before trotting out for tipoff, the diehards of Dub Nation know this. For example, Draymond has a flex with Gui Santos, Gary Payton II has a jump bump with someone, and we all remember Damion Lee’s “golf shake” with Steph.
So guess what Jimmy Butler’s handshake with GP2 is?
A simple, ordinary handshake. 😆
Another fun squad thing: Buddy singing “Take A Bow” by Rihanna in the locker room after the game. That’s in the clip released by Warriors TV on Warriors accounts all over social media platforms.
We are winning tipoffs
Draymond usually wins his tipoffs unless it’s against a seven-footer. I should also mention that Kevon Looney is quite adept at winning tips, too. It’s a combination of timing and subtle physicality.
That being said, TJD was awful at tipoffs during the stretch when he was a starter.
Mascot and actual real animals details
Stuff The Magic Dragon is one of my favorites mascots in the league. Top Three have gotta be him, Rocky the mountain lion in Denver and Burnie the whatchacallit in Miami.
I once got swallowed by Burnie pregame in Miami. It was really fun and he has my permission to do that anytime 😂.
The funny thing is, that day, I happened to be filming from what ended up being Bob Myers’ seats, because Miami security doesn’t let media courtside pregame, so if Myers had shown up crazy early like me, Burnie would have absorbed Bob.
Anyways, while I’m on the topic, Bennie the Bull in Chicago is dangerous. I can’t remember why. Maybe I had a traumatic experience? But yeah, I’ve always had Bennie on my “avoid” list. You have been warned.
At halftime, they had three dogs participating in jumping rope, generating all kinds of 🤗 feels for me. Man, 2025 arena entertainment is 🔥 What a time to be alive!
Steph’s prescient sling passes?
Steph’s sling passes were on-point in Orlando. Most of us in the loyal live chat during watch parties loathe those, because a ton of them have resulted in “pick-six” turnovers for a dunk the other way.
So… perhaps a sign that Curry is locked in on the threes is his sling passes early?
Gui and Knox
Gui took Paolo to the cup one play, which has to be included on his season highlight reel. But low key, Steve later in the first half replaced Gui’s Q2 rotation with Kevin Knox II in an effort to change the game as the Magic maintained about a 15-point lead throughout.
The adjustment caught me by surprise — although credit to one commenter who suggested it and I incorrectly shot it down, thinking Kerr wouldn’t budge — and I’m glad Kerr wasn’t afraid to try something, although he has a (false?) reputation of sticking with the rotation script.
The other way to look at it is, maybe he’s coaching these games like each one is the playoffs, and rightfully so.
Knox ended up having a gloriously athletic putback dunk on a Steph miss, but he also picked up a couple fouls, although they were of the 50-50 variety. Kerr did not go back to Knox in the second half as Santos stayed in his normal rotation.
When you wish upon a star…
The Magic hype video crew inserted a quick blink-and-you’ll-miss-it clip of Steph’s OMG 😱 celebration, although that was from Houston. Let that be a lesson to any future hype video NBA team creators.
Then again, their job is to make the crowd have the most enjoyable time possible, so maybe jinxing themselves into a Curry Flurry is a smart thing to do. I’m all for seeing clips of Steph in opposing arena hype videos!
Halfcourter
Steph offered little to no reaction, “meh” style, after hitting the long-range missile before halftime and walking back to the locker room. After all, the deficit was still 14 at that point.
Observation: the word “half-courter” is being used more and more on the podium these days. Idk, just seems kind of a bland way of describing it. 🤷🏻♂️
Read-and-react action
You can see it in the BTS video, the movement of all the guys around Steph was amazing. Steve doesn’t get the credit he deserves, because a lot of this “organized chaos” isn’t really an Xs & Os thing.
It’s literally a Jimmy DHO (dribble handoff) while Brandin Podziemski is bodying up Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for a semi-illegal screen, to which KCP turns and argues to the ref, which gives Curry just enough space for him to launch one of his twelves splashes.
Incidentally, I spotted one, maybe two, times where the exchange between Jimmy and Steph wasn’t 100% crisp. Can you imagine when it is? It’ll be like having two Draymonds out there. Steve has already made the Jimmy reference to Andre Iguodala — watch my Jimmy 101 video or read the article.
Read-and-react also occurs away from the ball.
It’s Draymond timing a super-high pick above the hashmark for Steph, Post recognizing (albeit a split-second late, so there’s actually still room for improvement for him, too) to do similar action, with a really strong roll to the nail.
It’s recognizing Podz in a “run-through” — which is why BP has been so highly valued by Kerr — and Podz jamming the paint while Curry, off-the-ball, plays cat-and-mouse with Paolo, leading to a dagger that blows the roof off of Kia.
Here’s an explanation on “run-through”:
And, finally, it’s understanding Wardell and what I have nicknamed “Handles Messiah” since circa 2016 when the two-ball pregame routine was a thing. His control of that rock is a sight to see, up-close. You really do need courtside video of it to understand it. And we have a quickie of it in the Orlando BTS video, although the possession ended with a turnover by Podz.
So idk what to say to those haters who say Steph is washed, anytime he has a bad game. His ball control and multiple combinations of between-the-legs and behind-the-back, at least when viewed up-close, I’m tempted to put him above Kyrie Irving, although Kai’s shoulder movements are probably a tad more effective than Steph’s.
Ironically, Draymond joked about those handles after the game, but don’t forget, even when Curry loses the ball, the read-and-react off-the-ball still has to occur from the other four guys:
Steph kind of does this thing where he loses the ball and people think, like, the ball is lost and you kind of, if you reach for it, you kind of just setting yourself up. And I think those ones break people back more than anything because in your mind, it’s like, “Man, I had him off balance, he lost the ball and he still made the shot.” Him and Kyrie Irving, their move starts when they lose the ball and it’s a special thing to have that type of control over the basketball. But I think those are the ones where teams just, you see them look at the bench like, “Man, I did everything, he lost the ball.” And I think those ones break the back more than anything.
What he said and what I said can be true at the same time. When Steph doesn’t lose the ball and handles the rock like a yo-yo, he’s Handles Messiah.
The pull-up mid-range shots — I think he had two against the Magic? — those reminded me of Michael Jordan.
It makes me think Curry still can do this beyond his present contract, which ends the Summer of 2027. It’s amazing how one guy, Jimmy, can make that big of a difference. We are so lucky.
This is an opportunity to shout out my co-host Dean “of Positivity” Chambers, who was convinced Butler was the solution from the get-go, at the beginning of the trade rumors way back in early December. There’s proof. One time postgame on a game watch party, we talked about it and Chambers exclaimed, “But he’s Jimmy Butler!”
I need to dig that video up and give him his flowers across social media.
All of the above moments are in the BTS video. Go watch it, now! Here’s another embed for ya…
And, per usual, here are all the postgame videos and transcripts. Shoot, I didn’t even get around to talking about Orlando coach Jamahl Mosely’s quip, “The man scored 56” or mom Sonya Curry smelling Steph’s stinky jersey!
00:00 When he hits one of those, like, half-courters going into half, do you at all think, like, “Oh, that might mean he might go out hot”?
00:07 STEVE KERR: Yeah, he was due for one of those. He’s — it’s what I love about Steph and one of many things I love about Steph. He always shoots the half-court shots. He doesn’t care about his percentage and he’s had so many the last couple years that were right there. As soon as he let it go, I said, “That’s it.” I just felt it and I thought that set a good tone for the second half, gave us a little bit of a lift. Everybody was excited. And then, obviously, our defense was dramatically better second half.
00:35 Going to Post to start the second half, I mean, Draymond on Paolo, just how, I mean, obviously, it worked out quite well, but what were you thinking with that move — ?
00:44 Just to change the matchups and get Draymond on Paulo. That’s our best matchup and put Jimmy on Franz. So it’s what John was asking before the game with the small lineup. Are we — can we do that against this team? And first half, it didn’t work and so you make the adjustment and hope that it works. Quentin was great, he obviously knocked down shots, but it was his defense too and his size and what it did changing the matchups defensively that really helped us.
01:18 You’ve experienced a lot of like Steph nights, kind of like tonight. Was this high up there?
01:24 Yeah, I mean, Raymond (Ridder) just said, it was his 26th game with 10 or more threes. So we’re spoiled around here and we’re used to it, but it never gets old watching, I can tell you that. I think the fans here tonight, even the Magic fans, they know they’re witnessing the greatest shooter ever and one of the greatest performers ever. It’s not just the shots going in, it’s just the fluidity, the beauty of his movement and motion and his audacity, the shots that he’s willing to take. He’s an incredible performer and he put on quite a show tonight.
02:08 Steve, you’ve seen him hit so many threes, even like one tonight from half-court, but is there any one three when he’s going like this, that’s just so demoralizing or so momentum-changing for you guys that you’ve kind of become used to a little bit?
02:24 Yeah, tonight it was just that sequence, late third, I think, where he scored about four or five buckets in a row and we went from maybe down two or three to up eight or ten. I thought that was the key to the whole game. That was — that — it changed everything. It allowed us to play with a lead in the fourth quarter and withstand their late run.
02:48 Have you heard a road crowd get that kind of caught up in it?
02:52 I have. I have. He’s — there’s a lot of 30 jerseys out there everywhere we go, but when we come East these fans only get to see them once a year. And so they know that, or they’re hoping they get a treat and they got a treat tonight.
03:11 What do you feel like with the eight games now with Jimmy, what has that opened up for Steph?
03:17 Well, I just think we’re more comfortable when Steph goes to the bench which is a big deal. Tonight wasn’t our best night in that regard, but I think overall, Jimmy gives us a level of confidence that we needed. And then when he’s with Steph, you see how smart he is, how the ball moves, possessions connect. And same with BP. So when those guys are out there with Steph — BP and Jimmy didn’t shoot it well tonight, but multiple possessions where they’re driving closeouts, swinging the ball, creating an advantage and then Steph ends up with a shot on the back side. So it all matters.
03:57 You mentioned Quinten a little bit and to start the third quarter, obviously, Steph started going as well, but I think Quinten had 10 early points there to get the run started. Just how important were those minutes and points for him?
04:10 Yeah, that was a big stretch. We obviously set a tone right away and won the quarter 40-21. So Quinten’s scoring was big. He knocked down the couple threes, but again, I think it was more about just the size that we could put out there to match Orlando. They’re a huge team and they beat us up in that first half.
04:35 What have you seen from Quinten in terms of growth, defensively, just with more reps with you guys?
04:40 I think just a better sense of positioning on pick-and-roll. You saw him out there, kind of playing cat-and-mouse a little bit. Maybe early in the season he would have been pulled out to the perimeter and driven by. So he has a better sense now of how to play that cat-and-mouse game and still protect the rim and still get up to the touch on pick-and-roll, so that he can at least challenge a jump shot out there. So he’s just a very, very smart player and tough. He’s very competitive and tough and so he loves the challenge out there.
05:13 Is there a different feel to when you get down by 17 now with this team?
05:17 Is there what?
05:17 A different feel when you get down, like, down 17 tonight to this team than before the trip?
05:22 Yeah, but these long trips across the country, the first game is always difficult. I always worry about the first half of these type games and — but like I said, I felt good about where we were at halftime because I knew what we were capable of. It felt good to see the guys really put it together in the second half. Obviously, Steph led the way, but Draymond’s defense was fantastic on Paolo and Gary had the huge block. We had a lot of guys come in and give us big minutes.
05:56 Steve, when Steph first got going, it looked like Buddy had an open three in transition where he basically turned it down to set up one for Steph. What have you — like, have you kind of ever seen a shooter of his level turn one down that just to set up another one for Steph?
06:11 Yeah, that was an Andre Iguodala-type play. He used to make that all the time, but yeah, Buddy’s usually shooting that ball. But great sign when everybody recognizes how hot Steph is. And if you get a chance to get him the ball, you get it to him. That was a really good play from Buddy.
06:29 This was obviously a night where he did kind of lift you guys by himself, offensively. Do you sense, since the trade and just with more realistic contention in front of him, that Steph’s kind of spirit and energy is kind of — ?
06:42 Yeah, I mean, he’s the one who keeps using the term “meaningful basketball” which I love. I think it’s so eloquent and humble. Steph just wants to play meaningful basketball and you can see, we’re now in the fight. We’re in the mix and this is what Steph loves. As great of a player and shooter he is, his competitiveness is probably his most underrated quality. And he was dying to be back in the mix and we’re back in the mix. And you can tell he’s energized by that.
07:16 Coach, you mentioned about Draymond and Paolo battling tonight, but Paolo finished with 41. Could you talk a little bit about his growth?
07:24 Yeah, well, he made the three threes in the first half which — and obviously you’re hoping he doesn’t get going, but those are shots you kind of have to give him and he made them. But we were confident that in the second half with Draymond on him, we’d be able to challenge those shots a little bit better. And I thought Draymond did what you have to do with great players and that’s just make them work, but Paolo, he’s a handful and he had a fantastic game tonight.
07:56 Coach, just picking up on what you just said in the last answer. Are you guys thinking about being the final six so you don’t have to go through the Play-in? Is that kind of on your mind right now?
08:06 It’s the goal. Yeah, the goal is 6th for sure. We don’t want to be in the Play-in if we don’t have to be. So, long way to go. Twenty-three, twenty-four games left, whatever it is, but we’re making a run and putting some pressure on teams above us. So we’ll try to keep doing that.
08:23 Coach, congratulations on five consecutive wins and Draymond, during the All-Star Weekend, Draymond says — made some statements about this team’s championship DNA. And after a performance like tonight, do you think the team is sending a message that you’re still in that conversation?
08:43 We just let Draymond make that message. He does our work for us. We feel good about our team right now. It’s the best we’ve played since the early part of the season and we’ve got some momentum, but we’ve got to carry it on. There’s a lot ahead of us.
00:00 P, obviously Steph got going in the third quarter there. What did you see in the third quarter that led to that swing and what perhaps would you have liked to seen your team do differently to halt it or limit that momentum?
00:17 PAOLO BANCHERO: Yeah, I think third quarters have been tough for us the last few games. We let teams get back in the game, going back to like the Memphis game. They came back in the third quarter, so I think it’s just us not being able to withstand the runs. I think when a team goes on a run, you have to either lock in and get stops or execute on the offensive end and get good looks. And I don’t think we did either in the third quarter. And so they came storming back. And when you let player like that get going, it’s really hard to come back.
00:59 Not just tonight, but of course you guys have been struggling as of late. Coming out of the All-Star Break, you guys had the win against Atlanta and then dropped the last couple. What are some of the biggest reasons as to the specific struggles that you guys believe you guys are going through and what needs to change moving forward?
01:18 I mean, that’s a tough question to answer right now on the spot. You just gotta go watch the games, see what’s the reoccurring themes and figure it out. We got good teams coming in here, so can’t just expect teams to lay down when you get a lead. I think we saw that with Memphis, saw that with, tonight, with Golden State. These teams got playoff pedigree. This team tonight has champions on the team. They’re not gonna lay down. The game’s never over. They understand it’s a long game. And so, like I said, you let a couple easy looks go in, that’s the start of an avalanche.
01:58 Part of this game was the question of how do you respond to the game on Tuesday? Did you like the way that the team came out and how do you replicate that feeling and make sure that this doesn’t snowball into something bigger?
02:10 Yeah, I mean, we came out with a lot more energy, a lot more fight. We were getting stops to start the game, getting out and running offense. We was letting our defense turn into offense, but we came out the locker room flat and that turned out to be costly. So we just gotta learn from it and figure it out.
02:32 For you, individually at 41 points, did you feel like you had to kind of take a personal responsibility to set the tone for the team throughout the game when you were in?
02:42 I mean, I feel that responsibility every night, come out, set the tone, be aggressive and just play my game. But I think I could have had a better second half. I could have done some other things better, but yeah, I would have liked to just get the win.
03:02 I know it’s hard to talk about the positives right now after another frustrating loss, but before today’s game Steve Kerr spoke glowingly about you, about the young man that you’ve turned out to be, the skill set that you have from the time you guys spent with Team USA. To get that level of respect from an accomplished coach such as Steve Kerr, how do you react to that?
03:24 Yeah, I mean, Steve’s a great coach. Really enjoyed my summer I spent with him on the USA team. I learned a lot from him and yeah, I mean, he’s a four-time champion. He’s coached and played with some of the greatest players to ever play this game, so there’s nothing he hasn’t seen on the basketball court. And so just any positive words he has to say about me mean a lot.
—
03:51 What did you see in that period and along that, what would you have liked to have seen from your team in that period that swung the game open?
04:02 JAMAHL MOSELY: Yeah, great player, had a heck of a night. I think that third quarter, I’ll have to go back and look at it, see exactly where we let go of the rope, what allowed them to get on that run. Obviously, it was him making shots, but they had to be generated from somewhere and it wasn’t all just in the half court, so I have to go back and look at how we were handling possessions, as well as what allowed them to get out on that run.
04:26 Aside from Steph, because we know he can do those types of things on certain nights, but aside from Steph, what do you think was the difference?
04:35 The man had 56 points. There is no “aside from Steph” here. 56. So I completely understand. I mean, I think — so be completely transparent, 34 free throws for a jump-shooting basketball team is tough to overcome as well. They shot 45 threes and 34 free throws and I know we were attacking the baskets extremely aggressively. And so I look at that and I had a conversation at the end and I just, I want to be — I want to help or be helped to understand how we can attack the basket the way that we do. And they shoot a ton of jump shots and they get 34 free throws. I’m — I really want to understand that.
05:17 You had a conversation with who?
05:19 The referees at the end of the game.
05:20 Okay. Kind of looking at the offense, you guys have gone through some of those offensive lulls throughout the course of the season. What needs to happen to get yourself out of it? I know a lot’s on Paolo and Franz’s shoulders and they obviously did a lot tonight, but what needs to happen when you kind of hit those ruts?
05:38 I mean, it’s the first half. It was very — the ball is popping, ball is moving, sharing it, getting out, transition, getting stops, out and running. And I think in that third quarter, I think we stalled out a little bit. And I think at the end of the day, for what we need to do, you’ve got to keep doing the things that got you success in that first half. And that was simple. We shared it, we moved it, got it around the horn and then, whether the ball goes in or not, it has energy with it. And so I think that’s one thing that we’ll we’ll continue to look at.
06:03 Forgive me if this is too simple of a question, but when Steph gets going like that and somebody of his capability is on a roll like that, is there anything defensively that in the moment when that’s happening that can be done to slow that?
06:18 I mean, he’s always moving. They’re always looking for him. We switched up, he found a way to slip out of it, get to a corner, they found him. A lot of that happened also in transition, in the cross-matches where he’s just coming up, they get a high screen and he’s coming down the floor and just pulling and he’s unbelievably — there’s a reason why he is who he is. And now that’s not an excuse for what we are, maybe some of our lapses, but he’s a amazing basketball player that made some amazing shots tonight because that’s what he’s capable of doing. And again, you have to look at the film and find out where there were points in the half-court where our communication could have been up, but there’s also points of him being Steph Curry.
06:55 Were there any adjustments you wish you had made earlier in order to stop the Warriors momentum?
07:00 Yeah, again, I’ll go back and look at that third quarter, which is where they made their run. I mean, there’s opportunities where there was in transition, in the half-court, I’ll have to go back and look at more of the half-court opportunities that we could have maybe double-teamed them or whether we switched and tried to run to get it out of his hands. They have shooting in there in that situation, that adjustment in the second half and putting Post in there to be able to switch out was being — it was able to keep more space on the floor for Steph.
07:25 We know part of tonight was, how would this team respond to what happened Tuesday night? First, were you happy with how this team responded to Tuesday night?
07:34 100 percent yes, 100 percent yes. If we can respond that way and play that hard consistently and have that energy and have that spirit, we are going to put ourselves in a very good position. And that’s what you’re asking, how do they respond? Which they always do and we always do. And so that’s going to put us in a better position if we can play that hard and understand what we can learn from this game.
07:55 And then I get kind of maybe answered it, but then the follow up is, how do you make sure this team doesn’t allow the results to cloud the process that created that response?
08:04 Because you look at the process, you look at where you were finding the right shots, what you could do differently, where you were when they went on the run, how we can keep our composure, understand they did go on the run. We calmed it down, we got ourselves back within five, I think, at one point. But just being able to sustain those runs and, I think, that’s what we’ve got to continue to learn from.
08:22 Gary had been the first off the bench, the first four games out of the break, you went to Jett (Howard) tonight. What went into that decision?
08:27 I just think the opportunity for Jett to get some time, I think he did a very good job in that first half of coming out and playing and stepping into a shot, defending the right way. I think he did a very good job there. Again, I’m going to — we’ll go back and look at the film and evaluate and see the things that we need to do in order to, one, not let a guy find 56, but again, it’s part of who he is in some ways. But the other side of it, what did we do good that we can build upon as we move forward?
08:53 What can you say about Cole’s toughness tonight?
08:55 I think he’s resilient. He’s a tough, fearless young man. And I that’s what you ask of him. And that’s what you need him to be and do.
09:01 You mentioned they started the second half with Post and he had 16 of his 18 points in that second half. Just what was the challenge of defending him and adjusting to that adjustment?
09:11 Knock-down shooter. Obviously, Steph had it going. So in those situations, you’re deciding if you’re going to switch 1 through 5. And if you do that, then you’re obviously leaving Steph open to run everywhere. And so, trying to decide if you’re gonna put a big on Post or a small on Post and then you got to figure out where your advantages are and what they have. Now, mind you, if we keep moving and sharing that basketball the right way, then I don’t think it turns into into a lot of that because a lot of that was transition. But I’ll go back and look at it and make sure that’s exactly what it was.
00:00 How does this rank on the Curry games that you’ve watched?
00:04 DRAYMOND GREEN: That was, man, that was great, especially being that he took over the game when we were reeling. That first quarter, really, first half, we had nothing going and he just kind of kept us afloat, kept us afloat and he continued that in the third quarter and completely took the game over. That was — and that was a special one for sure. He likes playing here, so that was a good one.
00:37 Why do you think he likes playing here?
00:39 I don’t know. I don’t know, but it’s funny because we were sitting around the other day, he was — he started naming, like, five arenas and he, like, that’s a great arena. Like, it’s always great when we play there. And this was one of them. So, it was good to see him put on that performance because we needed it.
00:58 Draymond, you’ve seen nearly 4, 000 of these threes. Which ones are the most back-breaking?
01:05 I think Steph kind of does this thing where he loses the ball and people think, like, the ball is lost and you kind of, if you reach for it, you kind of just setting yourself up. And I think those ones break people back more than anything because in your mind, it’s like, “Man, I had him off balance, he lost the ball and he still made the shot.” Him and Kyrie Irving, their move starts when they lose the ball and it’s a special thing to have that type of control over the basketball. But I think those are the ones where teams just, you see them look at the bench like, “Man, I did everything, he lost the ball.” And I think those ones break the back more than anything.
01:50 Tonight, he obviously lifted you guys pretty much by himself offensively, but do you sense, kind of like, he’s kind of hunting down this thing a little bit more since the trade and kind of lifting spirit where he’ll have a night like this because of what’s happened team-wide?
02:05 One hundred percent. Since the trade, he’s been so dialed in. He told you guys, like, all you want to do is play with expectations, have some expectations and meant that. I think you look at the body of work over the course of years, obviously we know that’s true, but you start looking at these performances that’s been coming since the trade and it makes complete sense so, I think there’s definitely more of a sense of urgency for sure.
02:34 You mentioned that third quarter when Steph really started taking over, but to start, Coach went with Quinten and, obviously, he had 10 early points during that quarter to kind of get the run going. What have you seen from Quinten in his expanded role that he’s had, especially tonight?
02:51 He’s been playing great basketball, obviously, shooting the ball well, but what he did defensively was bigger than everything. The anchor defensively that he was there in that second half, he protected the rim like nobody’s tomorrow, got a lot of deflections, forced a lot of misses, came up with some big rebounds. And so I think we all in basketball fall in love with the shot-making. That’s just a natural thing. But I was more impressed with what he — the energy that he brought on the defensive end. He was communicating, so everybody who’s out on the floor, you hear him communicating, you’re more comfortable to press up and get into the ball and all those, forced to drive and know that you got help there. So I was — as great as his offense was and shot-making was to get us going there in that in third quarter, overall, his entire game, I thought his defense was incredible.
03:42 Draymond, you really haven’t (inaudible) Banchero tonight. Talk about his growth as a player.
03:48 I’ve been a Paulo fan since he was at Duke and just, he’s a special, special player. But if I’m honest, I think he got so much more he can do. I think he got so much more room to grow. I believe Paulo is one of those young guys that he continue to grow at the rate that he should and he’s capable of, he’s one of those guys you keep hearing this talk about faces of the NBA, the next young faces of the NBA. He’s one of those guys that could and should be in that conversation and I think he was really on his way to it. And then the injury came earlier this year and kind of slowed him down a bit, but Paulo is one of the better players in our league, man. What is he, 21, 22 years old, something like that? But yeah, I think he is special. I said something to him after the game. I won’t share that. I’ll keep that between me and him. I think he has a couple things that he can change to help him take that next step and when he do, hopefully I’m on my way out.
04:59 Alright, is that it? After all these years, is there still a part of you, like, when Steph is on a heater like that, where you’re just like, “Holy crap, I can’t believe what I’m watching right now”?
05:08 For sure. You try not to get bored with winning and I try not to stop appreciating greatness. It takes — I watch the work that he put in on a daily basis to allow himself to moments like that and so I try not to take his greatness for granted. To — I’ve been lucky to play with a guy for 13 years and see those types of performances. I think just about every big performance he’s had in his career, I’ve been there, including the gold medal game. So I’m honored and lucky to share the court with him, to be his teammate and just watch that type of dominance. You see guys get dominated by great players in the NBA all the time. That’s why this league is who it is, what it is, that’s why guys are who they are. You see that often. I’m not sure — when one is dominating like that and you talk about all the greats, I’m not sure you see more life come out of a team than when he’s dominating the way he dominates. And I’m, like I said, I’m lucky to Witness all those performances, they are special.
06:19 Did you know that half-court was coming?
06:22 Aw, as soon as he left — as soon as it left his hand, I knew it was cash.
06:26 How much different is halftime when you hit something like that?
06:30 It changes everything, just going into halftime with any momentum. So he hits that shot, their heads drop a little bit going into halftime. All of a sudden, it’s something that small that can change a team’s beliefs. I always go back to, when we were in the NBA Finals, I want to say it was Game 4, Game 3, Game 4, back in Oracle — I mean not in Oracle, in Chase Center — and we were up, we had the lead in the third quarter I want to say it was. And JP (Jordan Poole) hit that half-courter. And when he hit the half-courter, I think we took the lead by one or something like that. It changed everything because when a team puts — expends so much energy and it changes something just a tad on how they thought they see it, it creates doubt. And I think his shot, he already had started getting it going, then he hit that shot. You can see the doubt in their faces. And, obviously, we came out and we were able to capitalize on that in the third quarter, but shots like that, they shift the momentum and they can change everything, can change a game.
07:44 What’s it like to see —
07:45 But often times, you know what you see in this league? And Steph in particular hates it, which is why nobody on our team do it. Often times you see guys hold the ball till the shot clock, till the buzzer go and then they shoot it. We’re not allowed to do that on this team and I always say to him, like, “Yeah, you want us to shoot them shots, but you’re gonna get a chance to change your percentage. We’re not necessarily gonna get a chance to change ours.” But in saying that, I think the mentality is right. You’re trying to save a percentage for — you’re trying to save a percentage for what? It’s about winning the game. So, changed everything for us.
08:24 What’s it like to see or feel the opposing crowd when Steph has a performance like that?
08:28 If a crowd is against us, all of a sudden those boos going, “Oh, ooh, ah!” They’re mesmerized by it and so we don’t have a ton of road games. Steph Curry effect. We don’t have a bunch of road games. We have a lot of home games.
00:00 JIMMY BUTLER, POSTGAME LOCKER ROOM: Fun to watch, even more fun because it’s a huge reason to why we won the game. I’m glad it was, like I said, I’m glad I’m on this side of it, but when he get hot, he can get going.
00:15 Do you feel like he changed the game with that halfcourt shot? I mean, are you guys coming into halftime feeling a little different?
00:20 I mean, we came into halftime knowing that we were still going to win the game, honestly. Just talking about how we could be better on both sides of the floor. What an incredible shot going into halftime, though. And then to come out and do what he did in the third quarter as well, some good basketball, some hellafied shot-making. It’s really fun to watch him be a part of that.
00:42 What have you learned about playing with him these first eight games?
00:46 That you’re never out of any game, but that goes for everybody in this locker room. I mean, he is a head of the snake, but I just like that nobody ever puts their head down. Everybody’s still willing to always fight, get back in the game and always give us an opportunity to win the game. That’s what I’m learning.
01:04 Is there at any point in the game you realized that the road arena has kind of turned into a home arena?
01:11 Nah, I really don’t be paying attention, but I feel like as I’ve been traveling and paying attention to it, the Warriors have a lot of fans everywhere. 30 has a lot of fans everywhere, so it’s good whenever you hear people cheering and wanting the Warriors to be great and win. Now that I am a part of this organization, it’s always good to make a road arena feel like home.
01:33 You’ve had to carry so many franchises in the past and so many teams. What’s it like to have a guy like Steph on your team?
01:40 Great. Another guy that will do anything to win. Like, I think that’s the main focus. Like I always say, that’s everybody in this locker room. Everybody in this locker room knows their role. Everybody is fine with their role and we all will star in our roles and that’s why we are winning these games. I think everybody can talk to one another. Everybody can say what needs to be done because everybody has that common goal and that’s just to win. But it definitely helps whenever he’s doing what he’s doing.
02:10 Are there times when you look at what he does and say, “Shit, that’s amazing?”
02:14 No, because he’s been doing it for so long now. It’s kind of, in a weird way, isn’t it kind of expected by now. You know what I mean?
02:23 I’ve seen a lot.
02:23 You see what I’m saying? Like, you’re kind of like, man, I know this is gonna happen and then when it doesn’t, you’re like, man, he only ended with 40. You know what I mean?
02:30 Yes.
02:31 But like I said, like, when he gets going like that, It’s a big energy boost for everybody in this locker room. It makes everybody wanna be great, especially on the defensive side of the floor. So we get the ball back and watch him go do something incredible on the offensive side of it.
02:45 Having been on the other side now, being on the same side as him, when he hits all those threes, is there any one three that’s more deflating or back breaking for the opponents that you’ve noticed?
02:56 I don’t know. I think they’re all great shots for him and you just see the defeat and the look of damn near disgust on the defender’s face. But ain’t nothing too much you can do about it, you know what I mean? So, good luck to whoever it is that’s guarding him.
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03:13 What’s it like sharing the court with Steph Curry when he has a flurry of moments like that?
03:18 QUINTEN POST, POSTGAME PODIUM: It’s pretty incredible. I think it’s unbelievable. I mean, you just kind of give him the ball and get out of the way and, I mean, how many points did he have? 56. Is that his career high or — ?
03:33 He had 62 (inaudible).
03:37 Then I guess he could have been better, but okay. But no, it’s insane. It’s — I’ve never seen something like that in person.
03:45 You obviously start the second half, Draymond shifts onto Paolo, just what kind of — how quickly did you deal with your rhythm with that group and how quickly were you able to kind of do a momentum change?
03:55 I think we had a lot of success last game with Draymond on Paolo. I mean he takes all those big-time matchups really personal and then he just kind of leads us through that. I mean, I understand that I came in in the second half, but it was really that change, putting Draymond on Paolo and he really set the tone defensively and then things started rolling on offense.
04:19 How much more comfortable do you feel defensively at this juncture?
04:23 Yeah, I thought I did some good things out there defensively. Still, you’re learning, right? You’re learning when to step up, when to help, when to stay home. It’s all those. It’s all in the details and in this league, it’s all about knowing where to be. And I feel like I’m adjusting and I’m learning every game.
04:48 Since the Jimmy trade, it seems like there’s a renewed sense of energy and confidence with this team. Can you kind of describe that and just what Jimmy brings, even when he’s on the bench, right? Like, the rest of the guys just seem to be gelling really well right now.
05:02 Yeah, I mean, he just brings, like — he just brings that leadership and he’s just another dog to put next to Dray and then our other guys. And besides his play, I think the biggest thing you’ve seen is just our other players stepping up. Like I said earlier, BP, Mo have been playing really well. And then off the bench, Gui, me, Loon, we’ve been trying to just pick it up, bring the energy. So it’s just an all-around thing and it comes with just having another person in that locker room that’s been through it.
05:35 Draymond said as good an offensive line as you had, he thought it was your defense that played a bigger role, in fact, starting that comeback in the third. Just what was kind of your mindset to go out there, especially when you were making your starts?
05:49 Just, I try to be as vocal as possible, be loud, use my size. I think we were clogging up the paint a lot which made it harder for Paolo and Franz to finish and yeah, for me, it was just being in the right positions and being loud so the guys in front knew that I was back there, ready to help out.
06:14 For the past year, a few years ago, Golden State has had a lack of a big man who can play the block, but also do threes. Tell us about, maybe, being that piece that Golden State needs.
06:29 Yeah, I mean, yeah, that’s all narrative and talk, but I got drafted this year. I’m the player that I am. I’ve done five years in college, so I’m pretty confident in what I can do and what I need to do better, but if I can be that piece, that’s great, but for now I’m just focusing on my growth and then seeing this team succeed is awesome and we’re playing for a playoff run. We’re playing for a championship, so if I can be a part of that and if I can be a piece to that, that would be awesome. Just focusing on every day, day-to-day.
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07:02 And then it was No. 30 time and he’s got the headset on downstairs. Steph, first of all, congratulations on the win and a big night. And there are nights like this where you’ve got to set the tone. I thought in the first half you did a great job of keeping the Warriors within shouting distance because it just, it’s one of those nights on the road. You guys just didn’t have the juice to start.
07:24 STEPH CURRY, POSTGAME ON-COURT: Yeah, that cross-country flight is always tough. You never know what the legs are gonna feel like with that five-hour flight and just you want to — I think our minds were there, but our bodies weren’t the first half and credit Orlando. They played amazing. They shot the ball efficiently. They were pretty decisive. I know that they had a rough game last time they were out on the floor. So they took it to us, but the collective resilience that we showed was unbelievable, riding this wave of of good vibes that we have. We locked down on defense that third quarter. We turned it up. Quinten Post was huge in the third quarter. We took control of the game and then just made enough plays down the stretch to get it done.
00:00 STEPH CURRY: It’s fun, like, really cool atmosphere. And obviously I was coming on a cross-country flight. We were a little slow the first quarter, the whole first half. Felt like it was one of those kind of nights where you just need to keep us afloat and we would be able to have a little bit more juice in the second half. And that’s kind of how it played out. But it was — I didn’t have too much going in the first quarter, but once you see a couple go down, juices start flowing and the rim grows and just keep shooting and just having fun with it.
00:38 Steph, you tied Klay tonight with 12 made three-pointers in a game, the three times of that. Draymond said that this is one of your top five places, to play here in Orlando. What is it about this place that you like about it and just what does it feel like to be up there with Klay’s performance?
00:57 I’m still chasing the 14, though. So he still got me on that, but you like the lights in the arena. There’s certain arenas that you just — obviously I’ve had a couple good games here, but it just looks different. You feel different energy. Our fan base is growing a little bit. I know the home team never likes that, but it’s just good energy in here and the fans seem to be into it and they love when a show starts to happen. So yeah, I look forward to playing here. I only get one time a year and it’s delivered, pretty much every time.
01:44 (Inaudible question about him giving his mom his jersey after the game.)
01:50 Anytime she gets to watch a game, she’s usually the loudest voice in the gym, yelling at me every time I do something wrong, encouraging me when I do something right. My dad played 16 years and so she’s been in the gym a long time, supporting him, supporting me and my brother, my sister playing volleyball. Like, she’s been always a constant supporter and tough love at times, but you want to play well when you remember she’s in the building, that’s for sure. Steph, you played with Team USA this summer. Jamal Mosley was obviously heading the Select Team. What do you remember from him just being there in Vegas with you guys? And what can you just say about his approach to the game as the type of coach that he is?
02:41 He seems — I’ve never played for him, obviously, but he seems very no-nonsense, but a guy that you could trust is trying to bring the best out of you. He coaches with passion, coaching til the final buzzer every night. So Orlando’s gotten better and I know a lot of that’s because of him and you have a young team that you get to develop. You trust the voice that’s in front of you, trying to get you where you want to go through all the good times, bad times, and he seems very consistent with that.
03:15 At the very start of the pregame routine, you practiced that half-court shot, right? That’s part of it. Not maybe the exact shot you took, but you practice those shots, right?
03:29 Summertime, in-season practices, pre-game stuff, yeah, I try pretty much every shot at some point. But you just want to, like, you let your creativity kind of flow. You don’t want to be out there too long, but it’s, I don’t know, the irrational confidence that I’ll make one pretty quick during my warm up, so you just kind of keep the flow going. It’s a way to just have fun and kind of test your range, and see the ball go in from all places on the court, to build your confidence up.
04:04 Seems like you do a lot of things to kind of make that routine fun. You’re playing volleyball, you’re playing soccer, whatever. Is that just — what is the, I guess, rationale for that?
04:16 We play 82 of these. I’m in the gym every day. You gotta have fun with it. Like, that’s not for everybody. But it’s been a key factor for me. Me and Ian Clark used to play random games during two-line layups or pregame warmups, even to the point where we’re doing like curling at one time. Like just, you want to have fun with it. You’re in this gym for so long, so many — it can get monotonous at times and I think it’s just a good way to remind yourself to have fun. This is a game at the end of the day.
04:52 What’s your favorite or one that you notice particularly deflating to opponents? Draymond said it usually comes when you look like you don’t have the ball or fumble it and then the defense kind of lets its guard down and you drain a three.
05:05 You talking about tonight or just in general?
05:08 Just in general.
05:10 No, I think you have nights like these, you get them all different type of ways, off the dribble, off pin-downs, relocations. That’s when double-digit nights like that happen because you’re just finding a rhythm and a flow and the ball is finding you at the right time. But you gotta have the footwork, the balance, the confidence to shoot them and, no matter what, no matter how they come, be ready for your moment. So, I practice all of them and no matter how you get to it, as long as there are certain nights, it’s just — we call it very syrupy, it’s just — it flows.
05:51 7-1 (inaudible) your experience, does it make — does it tell you some teams, like, now the team have what they need to make it all the way to the Finals?
06:09 We’re not talking that. We’re talking just trying to win each game and approach the rest of the regular season like it’s individual, like, playoff games because we need to keep trying to climb our way up the standings, secure ourselves into a playoff opportunity. And then you stack those days, you stack those games and you put yourself in a position where you can be a contender, but we’re a long way away from that right now. But our confidence is high, our vibes are high. Jimmy’s been an unbelievable asset and addition to our team and we’ve had a set rotation, which has been big for us, that we didn’t have much of the early part of the year, where we kind of know who’s going to be where and you develop chemistry out of that.
06:57 You’re a believer. You’re also a dominant player in the NBA, a star. You have changed the sport. You are a husband, a son, brother. How do you wish to be remembered?
07:13 Legacy questions when you score 50. I don’t know. I don’t know. Nah, I appreciate it. I’m just somebody that people felt inspired by when they watch. We’ve created a lot of memories now for myself, I know for fans who’ve watched the whole career, so no matter if you’ve been watching since ’09 or before that or recently, just somebody that brings joy to the game. It is inspiring to not only just play basketball, but to find your best self and whatever you decide to do and, like, we talked about just having joy and having a smile on my face cuz I’m blessed.
07:53 Alright, last one right here, we’ve got a plane to catch.
07:57 Steph, nine years ago today during your phenomenal MVP season, on this very day, you beat the Thunder with 12 three-pointers, just like tonight. What has been the key for you? What clicked for you tonight to be making great impact from beyond the arc?
08:14 Just confidence. I guess, I do like this calendar day. Raymond (Ridder), that night, I think New York, you said? It’s 2013, 54 or my first 50-point game in the Garden. So I’ll have to channel February 27th energy all the time. I don’t know. I don’t know what it is, but yeah, tonight was different just ’cause we needed all of them to kind of stay afloat and give ourselves a chance. And then a lot of guys contributed down the stretch to help us win, but it’s nice to have a flurry like that and have fun with it.
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