Stephen Curry addressed the Golden State Warriors one day after their disappointing Game 6 performance. Curry was frustrated by how the Warriors played when they had a chance to finish off their first round series against the Sacramento Kings at home.
“I don’t even talk a lot,” Curry said to the team, “but I’ve got something to say.”
Sources told The Athletic that Curry said he believed in the team and they had enough to win. He asked for their trust in return. Curry also implored them to put their feelings aside, which sources say the locker room felt was directed at Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga and other players who might be unhappy with their playing time and role. Curry told them that anyone who got on the bus to Sacramento had to be on board with the mission.
“You’re in this space where you gon’ fold or you gon’ rise up,” Draymond Green said, his voice raising with excitement as he relived the speech. “Once he did that, you have no choice but to rise up. He f-ing got everybody locked in. ‘If you’re getting on this bus, you’re making a commitment to this team. No matter if you play zero minutes or 40 minutes. You’re making a commitment to do whatever it takes. Prepare your mind and body for this opportunity we have. We got embarrassed the other night and we never f-ing going out like that.'”
Curry followed through on the speech by scoring 50 points in Game 7, leading the Warriors to the series clincher over the Kings.
“He is that guy,” Gary Payton II said at his locker after the game. “So when he speaks, everybody better listen. Because 30 is usually quiet and lets his game speak for itself. But he had to say what he had to say, because he knew what type of vibe it was … and I don’t think he wanted to give this one up. So he led and we followed.”