‘We have championship DNA,’ says Steph Curry after domination of Brooklyn Nets
By Ben Morse, CNN
Are the Golden State Warriors the favorites for this season’s NBA title? Steph Curry believes challenging for the crown is in the squad’s make up.
The Bay Area team emphatically beat the superstar-laden Brooklyn Nets 117-99 on Tuesday night behind Curry’s 37 points — a performance which earned “MVP” chants from the watching crowd.
In what was a clash of two of the top contenders for this year’s Larry O’Brien trophy — and MVP race between Curry and Kevin Durant — it was the Warriors who showcased their credentials.
And all without perennial All-Star Klay Thompson, who is still yet to return from long-term injury.
After dismantling the Nets at Barclays Center on a scorching 12-of-19 shooting — including 9-of-14 from three — with five assists, two steals and a block, Curry was clear about his team’s aims.
“We have championship DNA, but it’s been two years since we’ve been able to prove it,” Curry told TNT after the game.
Durant, who won two titles with the Warriors before leaving in 2019, struggled on the night with 19 points. But afterwards, he praised Curry, calling him a “master at what he does.”
“I’ve been saying that since he came into the league; just a crafty player that can pretty much do anything off the ball, that can cut to the rim, shoot floaters, shoot threes, and then he can handle the basketball too, and get down to his spot,” the 33-year-old said.
“That’s what you get every night [from] a player like that playing at an MVP, Hall of Fame level. You’ve got to respect it.”
The result improved the Warriors’ record to an NBA-best 12-2 for the season, while the Nets slip to 10-5.
For the Nets, with superstars Durant and James Harden on the team — but Kyrie Irving still absent from the team — the goal is a NBA title.
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But Nets head coach Steve Nash admits they have a long way to go to reach those heights.
“Well, I just don’t think we’re in that category yet,” Nash told the media post-game.
“We got a lot of work to do. We’re trying to improve as a group, get better and, hopefully, we can find a way to overcome some of our deficiencies by the end of the year.”
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