Stephen Curry says Golden State Warriors are 'starting to click
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Thursday 24 January 2019 12:41, UK
Golden State Warriors leader Stephen Curry says 'things are starting to click' for the two-time defending NBA champions ahead of their clash with Washington Wizards, live on Sky Sports.
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The two-time MVP walked past a group of reporters following a win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday and jokingly appraised the latest All-Star to join the Warriors roster.
"DeMarcus Cousins sucks!" Curry shouted.
But even in jest, Golden State is providing serious indicators of rediscovered form.
And with a season-best eight-game win streak and the return of Cousins to the court, the Oakland club is back on top of the Western Conference standings after an indifferent start to the campaign by their lofty standards.
Is the current mood and energy in the camp the best it has been all season? Curry told Reuters he believes it is.
"We've had a very dramatic first (47) games in terms of all these different storylines and things going on around our team," he said. "We talk about it a lot, and things are starting to click."
There has been the odd bout of drama this year around Golden State (33-14) including the courtside bust-up between Draymond Green and Kevin Durant earlier this season and more recently a flare-up between head coach Steve Kerr and reserve Jordan Bell in Monday's 130-111 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Cameras captured the pair having an argument during a team huddle with Kerr claiming afterwards that the backup center 'misinterpreted' something he had said to him.
That aside though, the group is all smiles again. During his tenure, the coach has preached the value of playing with joy.
Golden State's current four-year run, which has included three titles, features a record 265 wins over the past four regular seasons.
But the barometer for good basketball transcends wins or losses for the Warriors. The recent season debut of Cousins, who missed nearly a calendar year with a ruptured left Achilles, has gone a long way to spreading good vibes.
"All of our guys are excited for DeMarcus' arrival and the challenge of fitting him in," Kerr told Reuters.
"We're in the middle of a long season so this is an opportunity for us to experiment, try something different and enjoy that process."
Integrating the seven-foot, 270-pound Cousins into Golden State's deadly three-point offense is a terrifying prospect for the NBA and a jubilant one for the Warriors.
When Cousins debuted on January 18 with 14 points and six rebounds in a blowout win against the Clippers, the Warriors became his personal cheering section. They erupted on the bench when Cousins dunked for his first points, and Curry and guard Klay Thompson doused him with water at game's end.
"Since I called him (to recruit him to the team in July) I've been excited to have him on the team," Durant said. "He's a great teammate, and someone that makes the game easier for everyone."
Golden State's fervent celebrations on the recent road trip to Los Angeles that saw them destroy the Clippers and Lakers shows that the chemistry is very much back for the champions.
Ironically, Los Angeles was the site of the confrontation between Green and Durant during a game against the Clippers back in November.
Curry was sidelined at the time and the Warriors went on to lose five of six games, their lowest point in terms of performance or morale.
"It was just a little bump in the road," reassured Cousins, who intervened from the bench during the dust-up.
"There are going to be disagreements and arguments. It's about overcoming that and coming back together, which those guys did."
But even with a starting lineup of five former All-Stars, the Warriors are not bulletproof.
Cousins is a new unique personality for Kerr to negotiate, and Green is mired in a season-long shooting slump.
Golden State's bench does not seem as strong as in years past when it eased the toll of long title runs but the Warriors are very much back to appreciating the immense talent they do have and enjoying their historic journey together.
"I've looked out on the floor many times and thanked the basketball gods for allowing me to coach this group," Kerr said.
"I don't spend a lot of time thinking about historical facts and figures, and how many All-Stars we have.
"We know we're lucky to have this roster."
