Golden State Warriors writing 'new chapter' after last year's Finals loss

SAN ANTONIO — The infamous tape never stopped playing in their minds.

The 3-1 lead. The LeBron James stepover in Game 4. The Draymond Green suspension for Game 5. The Kyrie Irving stepback at the end. The unprecedented NBA Finals collapse against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

So when the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry was asked late Monday night if he had ever watched the film of those haunting old memories, he gave the same answer he had when their road to redemption began seven months ago.

“Last summer, (yes),” the back-to-back MVP said after their Western Conference finals sweep of the San Antonio Spurs was complete. “But since we started playing? No.”

The goal now? Make that old, as Curry said back in October in an Under Armour commercial that gave a window into his world.

As legacies go, the Warriors find themselves at a fascinating fork in the road.

A second title in three years – especially if it comes against the Cavs in what still appears destined to be the first time in league history that the same teams met in three consecutive Finals -- would put Golden State back on the path to a potential dynasty. A second Finals loss in three years – especially given the offseason addition of Kevin Durant – would open the gates of scrutiny hell in ways they shouldn’t even ponder. Strength in Numbers might be their motto, but All or Nothing is their reality.

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It doesn’t matter that they became the first team to enter the Finals with a  12-0 playoff record, just like it didn’t matter that they became the first team to win 73 regular season games before it all came crashing down a year ago. What matters now, and what they will spend the next eight days obsessing over from every possible angle heading into the Finals opener on June 1, is using the present to heal their past.

“This year is a totally different year, different group, different journey,” Curry said. “I don't think I need to watch the Finals to understand what the experience is like, and to be ready for it. We all know, obviously, who we're going to play. We'll be watching the Eastern Conference finals to see how that unfolds.

“But it will be easy to start this new chapter and really just lock in on what's in front of us. The past teaches you a lot, but it doesn't matter right now. We have an opportunity in front of us, and we have to focus on that.”

For all the hand-wringing about these playoffs being boring, the truth all along was that the potential payoff would be worth the wait because of the absurdity of these stakes. Were James able to win a fourth title against these vaunted Warriors in his seventh consecutive Finals appearance, just one year after carrying them to the historic finish a year ago, the greatest player of all time debate would be front and center like never before. Should the Warriors finish the job, with Curry still playing his masterful part as the foundation after opening the door for Durant’s arrival from Oklahoma City last summer, the league will be theirs again.

All of which explains the subdued scene at the AT&T Center Monday night.

The Warriors celebrated their conference title, of course, but it was nothing like before. The discussion was mostly about what comes next, about the health and uncertain status of sidelined coach Steve Kerr and the question of how they’ll use this extended break they earned to avoid the rust. This is old hat for the Warriors who have been here, and just a stop along the way for Durant as he heads to the Finals for the second time.

“Yeah, it's a little different, definitely,” said Durant, who lost to James’ Miami Heat while with the Thunder in 2012. “I can't lie. I went (to the Finals) when I was 23 years old, and it felt like the Western Conference finals was almost like the championship. Just getting to that point, you know how hard it is and how much work you put in to start the season.

“So it's a little different now, obviously. We have a bigger goal in mind. But you've got to enjoy everything, man. When we look at it, this is just a blip on the radar in terms of our whole life. So every moment is definitely important, and you want to embrace it and enjoy it. But a lot of guys are more seasoned now and know what it takes to get here, know what it takes to try to finish this thing off. So we're excited, but we're not satisfied.”

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