As expected, Chris Paul captured all the attention during the Warriors’ media day. The questions were very often devoted to the arrival of the playmaker, a fierce opponent of the Californians in the playoffs for several years.
However, we must not forget that Golden State failed to retain its title last season. A bitter feeling but also a blessing in disguise for Draymond Green, who reminds us that the motivation after a failed season is not the same as after a title.
“When you come out of a winning season, the urgency is not the same as during a season without the trophy. I’m not even trying to compare these two situations, because they’re not the same thing at all.” analyze the interior. “We try to fight complacency, which is a natural thing. We fight to get to the top, and when we do, we enjoy it, we appreciate it. And the time we spend on that, we don’t spend it making progress. This is completely normal. But we had to take advantage of this title because we worked hard for it. »
If we should also not neglect the importance of the incident between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole on the group, underlined by Steve Kerr himself, the four-time NBA champion concedes that the Warriors did not have the same momentum after the title won against Boston in June 2022. A risk that the Nuggets will have to be wary of.
“After reaching the top of the mountain, you no longer have your foot on the accelerator. The details that we dwell on when we climb the mountain, we let them slip away. So small problems become big and sometimes we can correct them, sometimes not. »
“Last season did not end as we wanted and, as a competitor, we naturally come back more motivated”
Watching the Finals on television rather than playing them, which the Warriors have done six times since 2015, is a good way to motivate yourself according to Stephen Curry.
“We had four more weeks to work and watch basketball, even though we weren’t used to that,” notes the playmaker. “When we finish playing the Finals, the season is over. When you have to watch them, it offers a different motivation and fuel. »
The NBA has therefore been warned: the Warriors are motivated to regain their place on the throne.
“Last season did not end as we wanted and, as a competitor, we naturally come back more motivated,” warns Draymond Green. “So it’s normal to be more motivated than last year. This is not necessarily a criticism, it is human nature. Everyone arrived focused, ready to get off to a good start. I think sometimes you have to lose to win. Last year we lost and that puts us in a better position this season to win. »
