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The Golden State Warriors championship title is closely linked to the name Stephen Curry. At 34, the superstar has finally arrived among the best players in NBA history. But this title, according to Curry, feels “different”.
Es is a short smile that will be remembered. There were still two minutes to play in game three of the final series, and the Boston Celtics celebrated a surprising away win. 2:1 in the lead against the seemingly overwhelming Golden State Warriors, the title within reach.
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry watched the closing stages on the bench. Instead of pulling the towel on his head in frustration, the point guard did curry things: he smiled. Almost devilish. “The Baby-Faced Assassin” – the baby-faced killer, as the point guard is reverently called, was irritated by the defeat.
Three games later, Curry counted over and over again in the Warriors’ dressing room, cigar in mouth, ski goggles to protect against the many splashes of bubbly and gold trophy in hand. “One, two, three, four – four championships,” roared the 34-year-old star player in the boozy chaos of the championship celebration.
Three years after the bitter final defeat against the Toronto Raptors and after two years without participating in the playoffs, the Warriors won the NBA title thanks to a 103-90 win against the Celtics. The series in which Golden State won the last three games ended with 4:2.
Curry voted Most Valuable Player
“This feels different here,” explained a visibly moved Curry, who after his fourth championship was also voted the most valuable player in the final series for the first time and was moved to tears seconds before the final siren. “It’s surreal. We were so far away You end up at the bottom with injuries. It’s just never guaranteed, you don’t know if you’ll ever get back there.”
From 2015 to 2019, the Warriors were in the finals five times in a row, won the title three times and were considered the measure of all things in the NBA. But in game six of the finals series against the Toronto Raptors, Klay Thompson tore his cruciate ligament and then, just before his comeback a year later, his Achilles tendon as well.
The outstanding distance shooter missed almost three years and only returned to the parquet during the course of this season. Kevin Durant, one of the best players in the world, left the team. Curry and Draymond Green struggled with injuries. For two years, the Warriors were among the worst teams in the league.
This season, coach Steve Kerr’s team has regained its former strength. Led by their star trio of Curry, Thompson and Green, who were supported by strong role players like Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II and Jordan Poole, they played their valuable final experience against the young Celtics team.
Curry is still missing Olympic gold
But especially Curry, who scored 34 points in the decisive game, was celebrated after winning the title. Four championships, two regular-season MVPs, and now, finally, a finals series MVP — that should be enough to consider Curry’s career “complete,” one journalist asked Kerr. He just laughed and said, “No. He’s missing an Olympic gold medal.”
To laughter from the media at the press conference following the title win, the Warriors coach commented, “I think he should really focus on being part of the 2024 Olympic team.” He paused, then added, ” Sorry, I couldn’t resist.” Kerr was recently appointed as the new head coach of the US team for the Paris Olympics.
But then his focus returned to the enormous quality of his superstar: “I’m happy for everyone, but I’m excited for Steph. For me, this is the culmination of an already incredible career.”
The list of players who have won four championships and been named the league’s most valuable player twice is short: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell. Stephen Curry is now a member of this elite club.