Stephen Curry Talks Motivation to Win 5th NBA Title with Warriors in Video Amid Knee Injury Rehab

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry sat down with ESPN's Malika Andrews for a one-on-one interview as he and the team get ready for the final two months of the regular season.

Andrews asked Curry this question to close the interview: "Knowing that the identity of this group of your career has been four-time champion, how do you balance that with still finding joy in where you are and what's realistic right now?"

Curry responded: "I've had this gratitude and appreciation for the journey, but I still love to play basketball just at its core. I still love the work that goes into it. It's my happy place when I'm out there on the court, so that belief and that joy that I try to play with I think is contagious for our team. I'm still motivated to keep chasing that elusive fifth championship and that opportunity. The challenge is to stay in the moment, enjoy playing basketball, enjoy the fight of competing, night in and night out."

Curry, who turns 38 years old on March 14, has been exceptional in his 17th NBA season, averaging 27.2 points on 46.8 percent shooting and 4.8 assists per game. He was named to his 12th All-Star Game this season and has kept the Warriors in playoff contention.

Unfortunately, he's been sidelined for five games with patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner's knee) in his right knee and continues to remain out. Per ESPN's Anthony Slater, "the length of his ongoing absence is unclear."

Meanwhile, the 29-26 Warriors sit eighth in the Western Conference, and they are playing without star Jimmy Butler, who suffered a torn ACL in January. While postseason magic isn't out of the question, the Warriors very likely will not be making a championship push this year, although a playoff spot is certainly within the realm of possibility.

They do have some hope in the form of new big man Kristaps Porziņģis, who has arrived via trade from the Atlanta Hawks and will make his debut for the team on Thursday vs. the Boston Celtics.

As for Curry, the hope is that he is back to 100 percent health soon enough as Golden State strives for the playoffs. The Warriors have only gone 6-10 without him and certainly need him on the court to make a postseason push.