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NBA FINALS: WARRIORS VS. RAPTORS


June 2, 2019


Stephen Curry

DeMarcus Cousins


Toronto, Ontario - Postgame 2

Golden State - 109, Toronto - 104

Q. DeMarcus, to come back and have a big game breakout game like you had tonight, just how good do you feel right now?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: It feels great. I've leaned on my teammates throughout this moment and throughout this whole process and this was an incredible moment for me. But I'm not satisfied and I'm looking forward to Game 3.

Q. Steph, what did you make of DeMarcus tonight?
STEPHEN CURRY: He was special. Obviously you get more comfortable, more minutes and playing aggressive when he's out there, puts a lot of pressure on their defense. And even on our defensive end, making his presence felt blocking shots, being in the right place at the right time. It's a big lift for us. I know he's been waiting a long time to be on this stage. Obviously with his injuries, he's taken the challenge of inserting himself and making that transition smooth. So it's been fun to watch. More to come.

Q. DeMarcus, what was your reaction when you got word that you would be starting and what were the days or hours like leading up to knowing you were going to get the start?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: I was just like, cool. I mean, I told Steve coming into this whatever he needed from me, I was okay with. If it's coming off the bench, if it's starting, if it's playing eight minutes or 40, I'm cool with whatever. So I just want to come in and help the team with whatever's needed. When I step on the floor, I'm going to leave it out there.

Q. DeMarcus, you went through two catastrophic injuries particularly with the quad most recently. What is it in your DNA that wouldn't let you miss this season?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: One, I want to be on this stage. This is what I've worked for my entire career, to be on this stage, to have this opportunity to play for something. But once they told me I had a chance, a slight chance, of being able to return, it basically was up to me and the work and the time I put in behind the injury, it was up to me. So I put the work in and the time in and with God's grace I'm able to be out here and play the game that I love.

So with that I've told y'all before I don't take any of this for granted. I've seen how quick this game can be taken away from you. So every chance I get to go out there and play, I'm going to leave it on the floor.

Q. Steph, you guys have used the "strength in numbers" mantra now for a long time, and I mean, have there been too many more nights where it may have rung more true than this one? Steve said he was thinking that DeMarcus's cap would be 20 minutes; he played almost 30. Quinn Cook making the threes, Andre obviously with the shot that won it or the shot that sealed it at the end. The strength in numbers, I know it's been around for a while but tonight it just had to mean a lot more than maybe it has a lot of nights.
STEPHEN CURRY: Yeah, I think that when you get to this stage like who -- our DNA shows up, so it's not something you just throw out there to have nice shirts and give out to the crowd at Oracle and have all this marketing stuff. It's literally how we approach every day from training camp to June, how we support each other, how guys stay ready throughout the year, whether they play like he said, 30 minutes or miss 10 straight games out of the rotation, whatever it is.

Coach always talks about it, that everybody's going to have a chance to help us win a championship at some point, and just to stick with it and be patient. And it shows itself over the course of a season and tonight was huge. We need three more wins and we need it to keep going, but that's a part of who we are in our DNA, it's not just what we say.

Q. Steph, it was said on the broadcast that you were entering the game dealing with some kind of illness. Wondering if you can kind of shed a light on anything in regard to that and what you tried to do to fight through it.
STEPHEN CURRY: Just didn't feel right, but at the start of the game, but at the end of the day nothing's going to keep you out from playing in the Finals game, if you can help it. So I have plenty of time to recover before Game 3. Don't really know what the cause was, just didn't feel right.

Q. Steph, that third quarter not only the run but the fact that you were getting contributions from DeMarcus and Quinn Cook and Bogut and just kind of everybody being a part of that. How much did that ignite things for you?
STEPHEN CURRY: It pretty much won us the game because we established our defensive presence, we got stops and everybody got involved in the offensive end. And when you come to the timeout after a couple runs like that and everybody's involved, whether they're scoring or setting screens or making the assist or whatever the case is, everybody feels good and the vibe is just solid, and we know that we have taken control of the momentum and then it's just about sustaining it down the stretch.

So obviously third quarters have been great for us. Game 1 couldn't get over the hump, but tonight was a different story because of our defense and everybody contributed to that.

Q. Steph, important is you have your faith up?
STEPHEN CURRY: My faith?

Q. Faith in your teammates for the rest of the series?
STEPHEN CURRY: I got confidence and faith in everybody that sets foot out there on the floor and they have the same in me. So again, whoever is out there contributing and playing will get the job done and have fun doing it.

Q. DeMarcus, where would you say you are at physically right now? How close are you to being 100 percent because you're still recovering from your injury? Where do you feel like you're at right now?
DeMARCUS COUSINS: I really don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

Q. Steph, I hope you will be this time Finals MVP, but if you will not be, are you going to be upset or you'll be still happy?
STEPHEN CURRY: I want to win a championship and that's all that matters, my man. Appreciate it though.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, guys.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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