Kurtenbach: The Warriors silenced their critics by winning another
title. But there’s ‘no shortage of chips’ on their shoulders for 2022-23
Golden State Warriors: Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson share
their motivations for the new season after winning a fourth title in June.
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 25: Golden State Warriors’ Klay
Thompson (11) stops to admire the Larry O’Brien Championship trophies
during media day at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on
Sunday, September 25, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 25: Golden State Warriors’ Klay
Thompson (11) stops to admire the Larry O’Brien Championship trophies
during media day at the Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on
Sunday, September 25, 2022. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
By DIETER KURTENBACH | dkurtenbach@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News
Group
PUBLISHED: September 26, 2022 at 10:07 a.m. | UPDATED: September 26,
2022 at 10:50 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/09/26/kurtenbach-the-warriors-silenced-their-critics-by-winning-another-title-but-theres-no-shortage-of-chips-on-their-shoulders-for-2022-23/

SAN FRANCISCO — The Warriors proved countless people wrong last year in
winning a fourth title since 2015.

It was alleged that the Warriors’ title window was closed. That they
were too old. That they were over the hill. That Steph Curry wasn’t the
type of player who could carry a team to a title. That Klay Thompson
would be a shadow of his former self after his two massive injuries.
That Draymond Green wasn’t a winner, he was just someone who was in the
right place at the right time and last summer was neither the time nor
the place.

The Warriors have always been motivated by chips on their collective
shoulders. Whether they were just a “jump-shooting team,” the
all-powerful Super Villains, or just a bunch of guys on the back-end of
their careers, Golden State’s veterans have found power in slights
throughout their dynastic run. And they’ve let the whole world know
about it, too — especially after they win a title.

So as Golden State looks to go back-to-back and win a fifth title since
2015, where is that chip?

Surely no one doubts that the Warriors can win it again.

“It’d be dumb to try to naysay us and actually think people are going to
take you seriously,” Curry said.

“Whoever has that opinion should probably just shut up because it’s just
not a bright one,” Green said.

So where’s that driving motivation for the Warriors’ veteran core?

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This year, it’s individual, ranging from the deeply petty to the holistic.

“I don’t think it’s the same chip. I’d be lying to you if I told you it
was,” Green said. “But there are chips… There’s no shortage of chips, I
can tell you that.”

“[And] They are good ones.”

Thompson gained serious perspective when he was sidelined for two
seasons. His motivation is to join the pantheon of greats who have won
five titles.

“I think back to my rookie season, and if you would have told me in ten
years I would have the opportunity to win five championships with the
Warriors, I would have laughed in your face,” Thompson said. “To be here
and heading into the season healthy with this opportunity, I get chills
thinking about it every day.”

“It’s such a short list. And to have the opportunity, just the
opportunity, to be able to do that, is so special… The greatest players
to ever play are in that zone of championships. It’s mind-boggling to
think that we have that opportunity. But we are going to seize it. I can
feel it.”

For Curry, it’s about setting an example for all basketball players.

Heading into his age-35 season and not content with simply irrevocably
changing the entire sport with this play, Curry wants to “reestablish”
what it means for a player to be in his prime.

This guy is going to go full Tom Brady, isn’t he?

That relentless drive to stay on top should put the Warriors in good
standing come the spring.

And Green?

Well, his motivations might be purely petty. And that’s OK. He can name
all 34 players drafted before him in 2012 — that’s how he’s wired.

So when Green says he has chips, you should believe him. Finding them
has been fundamental to his greatness.

There are two obvious motivations, though:

Green is due for a contract extension he doesn’t believe will happen
before the season. It’s likely Green’s last big payday. That’s nine
figures of motivation.

Also, we can be honest that his NBA Finals performance wasn’t vintage.
And as a media member himself, Green couldn’t hide from that
conversation. That doubt in his game has surely congealed into some
motivation for this season, too.

And it should be noted that Green doesn’t appear to have consumed a chip
all summer. He’s a player who has struggled with his weight, including
after his back injury last year. That shouldn’t be an issue at the start
of this season.

There is one collective motivation between the Warriors’ veterans,
though: leading the team.

Andre Iguodala is returning for a 19th season in large part because he
values being a leader to the Warriors’ young players.

Curry is keen to build up the Warriors’ young players so that when his
time is over — be that four, eight, or 12 years from now — what he and
his teammates were so instrumental in building doesn’t collapse.

And Green can’t help but lead, though it comes with some rough edges.

“He’s like an extension of our coaching staff. Such a great teacher,”
Thompson said of Green. “Draymond is great at giving out tough love.

“We all know it comes from a great place because we all want to win so
badly, [but] if you can’t be yelled at by Draymond, you probably can’t
play for the Warriors. It’s just kind of like a bylaw now.”

There will be more motivations — more chips — that develop throughout
the season. The Grizzlies rivalry might take the next step into actual
hatred. Green might get into a podcast squabble. Thompson might feel the
need to drop 60, just to remind the world that he can.

But don’t think for a second because the Warriors’ veterans reset the
clock on their dynasty last year, they’re going to ride into the sunset.

These guys live for slights.

Scratch that.

They live for saying, “I told you so.”

And they’d like to do that again next summer.

--
Dieter Kurtenbach | Sports Columnist
Sports columnist Dieter Kurtenbach analyzes the amazing and roasts the
absurd in the world of sports for the Bay Area News Group. He was
previously a national sports columnist for Fox Sports and a staff writer
at the South Florida Sun Sentinel. He can also be heard on KNBR
(104.5-FM, 680-AM).