“I think it’s a challenge for us to just try to maintain confidence in what we’re doing, what we’re building. And until we run out of time, we have to maintain it.” Stephen Curry had this to say before the matchup against the Celtics. After all, amid a 21-20 record, ‘hope’ was the one thing that the Bay still looked to maintain. It would’ve been hard to do so, especially since the C’s game was among their worst, losing by a 40-point margin. In light of this, Steve Kerr did not feel the need to hide the true mood in the locker room.

Speaking out in a recent interview on 95.7 The Game, the Warriors boss highlighted that there is no lack of effort from his players. However, that trait solely does not always count. “The effort is fine, but we’re lacking confidence. We’re a team that does not, as you guys know, we don’t get layups or free throws we don’t score easily… and so when shots aren’t going in I think our guys have felt a little bit demoralized and shoulders sag… It’s not effort. Our guys are playing hard. They’re just in a little bit of a funk.” A 50% win percentage would be demeaning for an NBA side, especially one that has won four championship titles within the last decade.

Therefore, even though Stephen Curry may choose to not highlight it, the losses affect him too, as Kerr said, “If you’re Steph Curry, and you’ve won 4 championships and a gold medal, and you’re used to being on top, this really sucks. So I don’t think there’s anything to read into when you see Steph hanging his head, other than losing is no fun.”

The last few days have seen Stephen Curry come out as the voice of hope. In every post-game interview after a major loss, he has emphasized the need to hold confidence. Despite this, instances have also arisen when the Splash Bro noticeably felt dejected. One of the first times fans noticed this was during the Warriors’ loss against the Miami Heat earlier this month.

A viral clip showed the 36-year-old walking around, chewing gum while holding a “frustrated” and exasperated expression. Kerr later stated that “he is really struggling with the emotion of, you know, not being competitive right now. He probably hasn’t had to deal with this since his, I don’t know, his first couple (of) years in the league. So, he’s definitely struggling with it.”

Furthermore, the Splash Bro has not been holding criticism about his own team just within himself. From the usage of words like “mid” to “embarrassing”, it is clear that the veteran is not happy with the current Warriors squad.

From his side, Steph Curry has been making the best efforts. With his team having gone 4-4 in January, the player has averaged 25.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists. However, Curry’s efficiency rating hasn’t been too impressive over the last 5 games, with the recent loss against the C’s setting his rating at -14. Can this be attributed to a drop in confidence?

It is important to remember this is the same Bay team that had established a 12-3 win record earlier in the season. Therefore, looking to tap into getting back to the winning mindset, Stephen Curry continues to hold on.

Stephen Curry asks Warriors squad to “individually” work on themselves

Anyone who witnessed the Warriors 2021-22 season might remember that the team initially went on a 7–16 run. Despite this, they won the final 5 games of the season, made the playoffs, and even secured the championship title. If the Warriors could correct things back then, they can do so now too. Currently placed 11th, though, the chances are slipping away. So, the urges from Steph Curry are getting stronger.

After the loss against the Boston Celtics, Curry indirectly addressed his teammates. He stated, “I don’t know if you read stuff, if you hear stuff, you got family members that wanna talk about what we need to do… you have to be able to just focus on what you individually need to do to get ready for the next game.”

This was a crucial task, since, “We need to have positive vibes in our locker room, no matter what happens in a win or a loss. You just gotta be able to come with the right attitude. It’s a belief thing that we can win whatever game is in front of us, an endgame.”

Both Steve Kerr and Stephen Curry are on the same page regarding maintaining confidence. The upcoming games are nothing short of a ‘do-or-die’ situation for the Golden State Warriors squad. Whether they listen to the words of their lead scorer and head coach is something that remains to be seen.