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NBA PLAYOFFS ROUND ONE: ROCKETS vs WARRIORS

April 16, 2016

Stephen Curry

Oakland, California: Game One

Warriors - 104, Rockets - 78

Q. Coach Kerr described you as questionable for Game 2 and also described you as incredulous when you found out you wouldn't be reentering the game. Could you see a scenario that you don't play in Game 2? Just how are you feeling?
STEPHEN CURRY: Right now I don't see a scenario where I'll be out. Obviously, if it's not right and at risk of further injury or whatnot, that's the only thing that I think we have to worry about. Pain tolerance and all that stuff, I kind of know what I can deal with on the court, but you don't want anything more serious to happen favoring an ankle or whatnot. So that's what we'll pay attention to the next few days.

Q. Why did you push Patrick Beverley? What was happening when you pushed him?
STEPHEN CURRY: There was a little back and forth, got tangled up and it felt like it was a little too much, so I protected myself and moved on.

Q. What exactly happened with the ankle? It looked like a non-contact right down by the bench?
STEPHEN CURRY: Yeah, I just tried to change direction, missed the shot, and tried to get back on defense, and then slipped a little bit and felt it slip or tweak. That's when the pain kind of came in. I was able to go a couple more possessions and it started to get a little bit worse. So Coach kind of saw that and subbed in. And in the second half I felt like I could go out there and be somewhat effective on the floor and less painful.

But to me it wasn't anything that was going to keep me out. Coach made a decision, regardless of what I had to say, to send me out. Obviously, we had a nice lead to work with, which is helpful. But as a competitor, I was ready to go back in and give them what I had. Talking to the trainers, knowing that hopefully I wouldn't -- like I was talking about earlier, putting myself at risk of another injury or making it worse. But we were able to -- the other guys stepped up and we were able to close out the game so we got out okay.

Q. How hard did you try to convince Steve to put you back in, or was your incredulity sufficient to let him know how you felt?
STEPHEN CURRY: I tried three separate times. I was 0 for 3, so...

I even went to Luke at one point and tried to get some help, I went to Q, our assistant coach, to try to get some help. We all swung and missed.

Q. Do you think Beverley's a dirty player?
STEPHEN CURRY: No, he's an aggressive player. He plays hard. He tried to get under your skin with certain things he does, but that's kind of his MO. I wouldn't call it dirty at all.

For me, he doesn't try to hurt me or do anything like that, but there is going to be physicality and some back and forth. Hopefully the league doesn't go in another direction where that's not a part of playoff basketball. I hope we don't get a tech every game, but I like that back and forth.

Q. How long does it seem like you've had to answer questions about your ankle, and will that injury in particular, are there any flashbacks?
STEPHEN CURRY: A little bit. I was in the back kind of thinking about the San Antonio series a couple years ago where I tweaked it in Game 2 or 3, and it bothered me the rest of the series. But that's kind of human nature to kind of think about it for a second, but I was all right and hopefully the way we handle this going forward the next two days I can put it behind me.

Q. Switching topics, tell me about the hat and who gave it to you?
STEPHEN CURRY: It was a gift to myself. I bought it a couple years ago, actually. Shout out to the Run TMC days, and those guys would put on a show every single night. So I thought it would be good to wear it for Game 1 of the playoffs and have some fun.

Q. You mentioned the San Antonio series, was it as bad as that?
STEPHEN CURRY: No, no, well, right now it's not. Hopefully it responds well in the next few days, but that was one that I remember it really, really bothered me every time I did any kind of move. So I think this will hopefully be better.

Q. Are you surprised that (No Microphone) passed his ball back?
STEPHEN CURRY: Oh, I forgot about that. No, I wanted the ball. I had confidence, regardless how I felt out there.

Q. You guys were up 26 when you left and you won by 26. So how gratifying is it for you to see your teammates come through when you can only watch?
STEPHEN CURRY: I mean, it's tough to watch, obviously, especially in the playoffs. You want to be out there playing. But I felt like a kid in timeout on the bench. Just probably didn't have a great face, frustrated because the action's right there in front of me but I couldn't be a part of it anymore. Those guys did their job down the stretch.

It's kind of that slow period to begin the third quarter, I wish i was out there because it's different rotations and different flow of the game when I go out there early, but they bounced back, made plays. Defensively was the key for us all night.

They had a short run, but when we got stops, you know, especially with a lead like that, you put yourself in a good position to be able to control the tempo down the stretch of the game. So I could tell it was kind of a weird vibe in the beginning of the third quarter with the fans and it's just not the same kind of energy. So regardless of what happens the rest of the playoffs, you want to keep that home court advantage and that noise and that electric atmosphere. Those guys brought it back on our side down the stretch.

Q. How do you guys go an entire game and hold James Harden without a free throw attempt defensively?
STEPHEN CURRY: It's all fundamentals. What he likes to do. We had a game plan coming in. Whether he's going downhill, just show your hands, make him finish in a crowd. No silly reaches where he can obviously show me the ball. You usually get those calls, but when you play defense the right way, not worried about trying to get low, just hands high, make him finish over the top. Whether he makes a couple or not, you like your chances over the course of 48 minutes.

For us, to keep him off the free-throw line and get those nine extra points he usually gets, that's important for us. So my guess is it probably won't happen the rest of the series, but for the most part if we just continue to keep our fundamentals, show our hands, keep our body in front of him maybe we can control that part of their offensive attack for the most part in the series.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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