By his own standards, Stephen Curry got off to a slow start in the NBA Finals. Cleveland Cavaliers reserve guard Matthew Dellavedova, whose role was greatly expanded after Kyrie Irving went down with an injury in Game 1, was partially responsible for Curry’s struggles.
And, as it turns out, the attention Dellavedova received for that is partially responsible for Curry bouncing back with a vengeance.
During a recent interview with Australian sports radio’s “Morning Glory” on 1116 SEN, Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut said Curry was “pissed” about all the internet memes and other stuff on social media about how Dellavedova was getting the best of him.
“Delly did a great job, but (Curry) was missing some shots that he usually knocks down,” Bogut explained. “I think (Curry) was more frustrated and probably had a fire lit under him when he saw all the memes and the Delly mania. That really pissed him off. You could see in the locker room after Game 3, he wasn’t having any of it.
“I knew what was gonna happen Games 4, 5 and 6. It wasn’t a great time for Delly or the Cavs. … He’s a guy you probably don’t want to light a fire under, and the social media can be partly blamed for helping us win a championship.”
After the Cavs beat the Warriors in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead, the internet exploded with memes that were praising Delleavedova at Curry’s expense. Curry responded by putting up a combined 59 points between Game 4 and Game 5. He hit 11-of-20 shots from beyond the arc over the two-game stretch and helped Golden State take control of the series.
Bogut’s comments fit perfectly with what was reported about the feeling in the Warriors’ locker room after Dellavedova became a household name. Apparently it was a blessing in disguise.
