Steve Kerr, the coach of the Golden State Warriors, who will play against the Boston Celtics in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, felt that Stephen Curry, his star player, had the same approach as tennis player Roger Federer, winner of a Grand Slam tournament 20 times, to remain at a level of excellence while taking pleasure in providing the same efforts on a daily basis.
« We met Federer a few years ago in Chinasaid Kerr, Sunday, during a press briefing. We were playing in Shanghai and he came to see us in the locker room. Draymond (Green) asked him: “How have you been doing this for 20 years?”. His response had been just simple, yet profound. He said : “I love my daily ritual. I get up, I make my kids breakfast, I drop them off at school, I go to practice. I love the competition. And every night when I put my head on the pillow, I say to myself: “Man, what a beautiful day”“. So I think a lot about “Steph”, when this explanation given by Roger Federer comes to mind. I see a great similarity there. There is life that predominates and just the joy to continue the process. »
“A passion that accompanies, that lasts and that allows us to improve even more”
On Friday, Curry had achieved the most successful performance of his career in an NBA Finals, scoring 43 leading points in the success of the Warriors (107-97) at the Celtics, to equalize with two wins everywhere. Another glorious chapter for the one who, at 34, already has three championship rings (2015, 2017, 2018) and two regular season MVP trophies (2015, 2016). At this rate, Stephen Curry, who averages 34.3 points (49.1% at long distance) after four matches, could finally become MVP of a final, driven by remarkable physical form.
« He has his routine, he’s like a metronomecontinued Steve Kerr. Every day it’s exactly the same. He is in the training room, then weight training, he is on the ground. It is regulated like a clock. But there is also a feeling of joy, which energizes him in this work. I think that’s one of the things that binds all the great athletes, the Roger Federers, the “Steph” Currys… There’s a routine that’s not only super-disciplined, but really enjoyed. each day. There is a passion that accompanies this, which lasts and which makes it possible to improve even more. »
“Win or lose, you have to keep going back to sharpen your tools”
« I love to workabounded Curry in front of the same journalists. You’ll gladly do those workouts or strength training, because you know that’s going to get you as prepared as possible for those matches. And you try to have as much fun as possible. There are of course days when you don’t want to, when you’re tired… But the approach I’ve taken since I started and I try to keep is that we win, that you lose, you have to keep going back to sharpen your tools and find ways to improve your game. »
