Kobe Bryant will be remembered as the ultimate competitor with a vicious underbite, but he wants Stephen Curry and the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors to create a legacy, too.
On Thursday, Curry dropped 26 points to help Golden State defeat the Lakers and improve to 37-3, matching the pace of the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls that ultimately posted a 72-10 record and won an NBA title.
Following the Warriors win, according to Serena Winters of TWC SportsNet, Bryant told the reigning MVP to topple the Bulls. However, Curry had his mind set on something else.
“… I told him, I said you guys have got to go ahead and make history. He had the same responsive that I would’ve had. He said ‘I’ve got to chase you.’ And I said, ‘Damn right, absolutely, come and get it.'”
Golden State must finish the season 36-6 to surpass Chicago’s mark, but Curry is likely more worried about chasing championships.
The Baby-Faced Assassin hoisted his first Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2015, so he’s four titles behind Kobe. While setting a regular-season win record would be a tremendous accomplishment, the Warriors will only be remembered positively if they claim a championship.
Otherwise, this historically spectacular Golden State squad will hold a legacy of being the greatest team that didn’t win.
Curry could’ve also been talking on an individual basis. Bryant is an NBA legend. In 25 years, we might recall how Bryant passed the torch to LeBron James, who passed it on to Curry, who squared off with Bryant at least 14 times. The Warriors and Lakers have one matchup remaining this season.
The 27-year-old point guard is on track to retire as the greatest shooter in league history, especially when considering his volume of three-point attempts.
Curry is unquestionably an elite player, but he wants to be a multi-championship-winning legend like Bryant. Go and get it.