Curry watching Game 7 of Finals for motivation

For the longest time, Stephen Curry couldn't even bring himself to watch.

The Golden State Warriors squandered a 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals, and while a myriad of factors contributed to their demise, Curry's lackluster performance was tagged as the greatest failure in their near-perfect season.

Curry only managed to study Game 7 for the first time a week ago, but now he's using it for motivation.

"I was a little mad at myself and getting back into the grind of working out for next season," Curry told ESPN's Darren Rovell on Saturday. "I think (watching Game 7) was a good motivator to get back into the gym and keep working."

The two-time MVP looked like a shadow of himself with the world watching. Curry shot 6-of-19 from the field with four turnovers for 17 points and two assists as the Cavaliers stole a title at Oracle Arena.

Hampered by a knee injury, Curry lacked the explosiveness to shake free of defenders, and his diminutive stature rendered him ineffective on defense. Both of those issues were on full display in the final moments of the game.

The last bucket of the season saw Kyrie Irving cross up Curry before sinking a triple to put the Cavaliers ahead.

Curry tried to get even on the next possession, but he couldn't shake free of the defensively deficient Kevin Love.

Cleveland's dramatic comeback, mirrored by Golden State's embarrassing collapse, has led to a summer of scrutiny for Curry (and his wife Ayesha, who tweeted after Game 6 that the game was "rigged"). But they're trying to shut all that out and focus on next season and beyond.

"Since the Finals, you can get wrapped up in the backlash, if you will, of what happened," Curry said. "I'm not going to be a prisoner of the moment and get sensitive and whatnot, and I don't think (Ayesha) is either. It is what it is, but we enjoy just being ourselves. There's nothing other than that. Social media is a great way to share what's going on and have fun with your life."