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The basketball world frantically is counting its blessings with Steph Curry as the Warriors superstar's NBA clock is expiring.
Well, most of the basketball world.
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Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajaković has slightly different feelings toward Curry's inevitable retirement, and the reasons are personal.
After the Raptors' 104-101 win over the Warriors on Monday night at Scotiabank Arena, Rajaković shared a very candid response when asked about the challenges of coaching against Curry.
"Doing my best," he said, chuckling. "Steph Curry is a player that, it's a privilege for all of us to live in an era and to work in this era in the NBA when he's playing. I just told my coaching staff I've been playing against him for a long, long time. I can't wait for him to retire.
"I'm going to get drunk that night. I promise you that. I'm going to celebrate."
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“I can’t wait for him to retire, I’m going to get drunk that night. I promise you that.”
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 14, 2025
Darko Rajaković on the challenges of coaching against Steph Curry. pic.twitter.com/YmDKrFGm8x
Before becoming head coach of the Raptors in 2023, Rajaković was an assistant coach in the Western Conference with the Oklahoma City Thunder, meaning many more meetings with Curry and the Warriors.
Most notably, though, he coached the strenuous Warriors vs. Thunder 2016 Western Conference Finals matchup that went all the way to seven games. In that best-of-seven series, Curry averaged 27.9 points on 44.3-percent shooting from the field and 41.6 percent from 3-point range, with 6.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.1 steals in 36.7 minutes.
Curry's game-high 36 points with seven triples in Game 7 helped secure Golden State's victory and ticket to the NBA Finals -- leaving a sour taste in Rajaković and Oklahoma City's mouths.
After nearly a decade in the Western Conference competing against Curry, Rajaković headed East, where his meetings with the 3-point god are limited but no less taxing.
And while Rajaković can appreciate what Curry brings to the game, he's counting down the days until the superstar hangs his jersey for good.