“I talk about him as if he had died, which is very strange. » Stephen Curry almost said it all in one sentence. This “him” is obviously Klay Thompson, who went to Texas and is now a Mavericks player. The playmaker (like Draymond Green or Steve Kerr) seems to be experiencing a situation of mourning, starting with a feeling of denial.
“We are used to seeing players change cities and teams. However, until a week before signing in Dallas, we never thought it was going to end.”continues the Olympic champion for ESPNwhich evokes the rear in the form of a ” presence “of a ” light “ in the Golden State locker room.
The Warriors in full “emotional void”
Except that this light is no longer there… “When I left the locker room, there was Klay Thompson’s locker. Then, nothing more. It was replaced by other players. That's when I realized it was real.”says Draymond Green. “In a match, when you hear the middle five, before Curry, there was the name Klay. Suddenly we hear another name. »
Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Steve Kerr also use words that make people think of a breakup or the loss of a loved one. “We try to make things as normal as possible, not to do too much, not to think about it too much”explains the GM. “There is an emotional void with him leaving, after being so close and doing so much with him”adds the coach. “It’s very sad, but we have to move forward. »
But how do you deal with a Curry – Green – Thompson trio that has had so much impact on the last decade and even the history of the NBA? “Together, in good health, we could beat anyone. It was very pleasant as soon as we were on the floor,” remembers the first. “In the history of the league, lines that stay this long are very rare. There are the Spurs (with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker) at the top but when you think about what we did, we wish we had stayed together until the end. »
Respect, war and divorce
“Luckily for us, we are trained to do without him, with the times when he was injured. It won't be our first time.”Draymond Green tries to reassure himself. On the other hand, from November 12, we will have to face him with the Mavericks jersey on our back. And that will be a first…
“We have already faced each other, during practices and training camp, but nothing that resembles an NBA match. We are going to have a ceremony and I will be totally committed to ensuring that we pay him the tribute he deserves. And then there will be war. We are like that”, announces Stephen Curry. “I respect him for the other 78 matches. I'm not going to say I'm going to support it, but I'm going to watch. The other matches, I will be ready to face him. »
In the loss of Klay Thompson as in the war that we will have to wage against him in the Western Conference, Draymond Green is on the same wavelength as his teammate. “I’m going to crash into him.”warns the interior, in reference to a well-known phrase and gesture from Kobe Bryant towards Pau Gasol at the 2008 Olympic Games. “Like I did to my big brother. Like with LeBron James. »
Let's not believe, however, that there is resentment between the new Dallas fullback and the four-time champion, who always expresses himself in the terms of a romantic breakup. “It’s a happy divorce, if it’s a divorce.” Lots of divorces are bad, but not this. I don't call it a divorce, more a new chapter in our lives.”concludes Draymond Green.
