Stephen Curry on Warriors' Title Window: 'Definitely' Feel We Have a Lot Left in Tank
June 12, 2022
Stephen Curry believes the Golden State Warriors have a longer window of title contention beyond this year.
NBA TV @NBATV"We definitely feel like we have a lot left in the tank." <br><br>-Steph on how long the Warriors championship window could last <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBAFinals?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBAFinals</a> <a href="https://t.co/PuULyRNJls">pic.twitter.com/PuULyRNJls</a>
"You bring up the age thing, it's something to talk about but it doesn't really reflect how we approach this playoff journey...our confidence about what we can do going forward," Curry said.
The Warriors are tied 2-2 with the Boston Celtics in the 2022 NBA Finals, seeking their fourth title in an eight-year span. The squad has already won the Western Conference six times in this stretch.
It initially seemed as though the window had already closed after they lost to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals.
Kevin Durant left in free agency, while Curry and Klay Thompson dealt with injuries as the Warriors struggled to a 15-50 record in 2019-20. The squad missed the playoffs again in 2020-21 while Thompson missed a second straight year with a ruptured Achilles.
With the core of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green all over 30 years old, it didn't seem likely the team would return to title contention.
They proved the doubters wrong in 2021-22, finishing 53-29 before going 12-4 in the first three playoff rounds. The squad is now two wins away from another championship.
Curry has certainly shown he is not slowing down, winning the scoring title in 2020-21 while carrying the team throughout much of this year. He is averaging 34.3 points per game in the NBA Finals, including an incredible 43-point performance in the Game 4 win while coming off what appeared to be a substantial foot injury suffered at the end of Game 3.
With 27-year-old Andrew Wiggins developing into an All-Star this season and 22-year-old Jordan Poole emerging as a reliable offensive weapon capable of taking over games, Golden State should remain a top contender next year as well. The future will be even brighter if young players like James Wiseman, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga meet expectations.
The Celtics might have the younger roster, but the Warriors aren't going away anytime soon.