Curry says no cakewalk to crown with Irving out

OAKLAND, USA – NBA Most Valuable Player Steph Curry and Golden State coach Steve Kerr will not allow the Warriors to relax even after NBA Finals foe Cleveland lost star guard Kyrie Irving.

The Cavaliers said Friday that versatile playmaker Irving suffered a fractured left kneecap in over-time during Golden State’s 108-100 victory Thursday over Cleveland in the opener of the best-of-seven championship series, dealing superstar LeBron James and his teammates a major setback in their quest for the title.

But, Curry warns, overconfidence is not a luxury the Warriors can afford.

“We can’t assume … it’s going to be a cakewalk for us to get a championship,” Curry said. “It’s still going to be a challenge. It’s still going to be tough. We have to control what we control and do what we do.”

The Warriors had the NBA’s best record at 67-15 and have a deep bench while the Cavaliers are hurting, but James still scored 44 points in the opener and both he and Iman Shumpert had last-possession shots to win for Cleveland in regulation time.

Thinking things will be easier now, Kerr said, is a sure way to make things harder.

“The minute we start thinking that way we’re in big trouble,” Kerr said. “That never enters our mind. We have to do what we did last night, only better. We have to compete like we did but we’ve got to execute better. I think that will come.

“We aren’t going to allow ourselves to go down that path, that’s for sure.”

Warriors forward Draymond Green takes optimism from Golden State’s victory despite what he saw as a sub-par effort.

“We have to make sure we come out with an even better focus level than we did in game one because this is a very important game. If you can get up 2-0 in the series, that’s always huge,” Green said.

“I still don’t think, although we won, that we played well at all. I think we have a lot more to give than we did. So that’s kind of exciting.”

The Cavaliers inserted Australian Matthew Dellavedova when Irving missed two games in the Eastern Conference final against Atlanta.

“We obviously have some film that we can study from their last series. So I think we’ll be prepared,” Curry said. “Whatever challenge is in front of you, be able to conquer it. You can’t help what happens along the way.

“Our job is to go out and play and compete every night. It’s not to say that whoever steps up in his absence, whether it’s Dellavedova, whether it’s Mike Miller, whoever is going to play those minutes, they’re going to come in and try to win the game as well.”

 Curry hot in the corner

Irving was also a tough defender on Curry, who has made 12 consecutive 3-point shots from the left corner.

“You jinxed me already. That’s a death wish for game two,” Curry said when he learned of his hot spot streak.

“I have no idea what’s different about that spot. I have the same confidence when I rise up no matter where I am on the floor. Most of the threes I get from that point are from a couple of passes around the arc and I’m either wide open or I’m in a good rhythm so maybe that helps.

“It’s just about having confidence no matter where you are on the floor to get shots in our rhythm and in our offense and knock them down.” – Rappler.com