Will Golden State Warriors win NBA title? Here's how Steph Curry's return to vintage form could work magic
Stephen Curry's 62-point explosion against the Portland Trail Blazers will be discussed well after this season ends. Prior to that masterclass, Curry had 20 points in their season opener against the Brooklyn Nets. The effort wasn't enough as they lost 99-125. Their second game against Milwaukee Bucks ended with a 138-99 defeat and Curry had 19 points. In what was a single-handed effort, he stacked up two back-to-back 30+ point games against Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons to bring the Dubs back in the game.
In their two-game series against Damian Lillard and his Trail Blazers, Curry's 26 point outing went in vain as the Warriors failed to touch 100 points for the third time in the season. What followed in the next game was a metamorphosis of sorts. Call it a Super Saiyan transformation if you like, but Curry's 62-point blitzkrieg quashed any doubts of the Warriors being bonafide titled contenders. Dunk after dunk, three-after three, Curry racked up the points just like he did when the Warriors 2017 and 2018 Championship wins.
Consider his classy follow-up 30-point game against the Sacramento Kings that saw Steve Kerr's side bag a 137-106 victory, it is safe to say that the Warriors win when Curry fires. In the seven games played so far, the Warriors have won each time Curry has breached the 30-point mark. There are two sides to the Curry currency — overreliance on the best shooter the game has ever seen which could prove to true should the Warriors fail to make the Conference finals or be champs for the second year in a row.
The other aspect is about the 32-year-old's ability to spur a quality side that, in the absence of Klay Thompson, would still manage to steamroll oppositions with clinical performances. For now, Curry has done more than just shoot. He leads the team with assists. Averaging 32.3 PPG and 6.2 APG, there's that dual role of being the creative playmaker that would hold the side in good stead. Rookie James Wiseman, exciting talent Kelly Oubre Jr have seemed to benefit from these assists as they have shown promise and potential to help Warriors go the distance.
After an injury-riddled season that saw the Warriors take 50 losses on the chin in the previous season, there was hope they could put their campaign back on track, just for Klay to sustain a season-ending tear to his right Achilles tendon. This may have dented the Warrior's faithful hopes of the outfit making another winning journey, but Curry striking vintage form and finding a solid group in Draymond Green, Brad Wanamaker to name a few, means there's still hope.
All eyes are now on Curry to see what he can do next. Realistically, it's unfair to expect Curry to score 30+ points each game and do a James Harden with those relentless pick-and-rolls. Since the 2018-19 season, Green, Damion Lee and Kevin Looney have played up-close with Curry and that means the new additions to the team will have to understand what Curry's role is. A look back at the time when Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston and Andrew Bogut fed Curry the ball to shoot can be a template the Warriors can reconsider.
This can eliminate the burden on Curry to be the man who doubles up to create scoring opportunities every game. Perhaps, the best idea for Curry is to be the man who creates shots and shoots as long as he can keep himself injury-free. With the regular season now shortened, losing too many games is something no team can afford and that for the Warriors, is a sign to learn plays for and around Curry.
That said, the Warriors still have chinks in their armor. Their shooting sans Curry has been a problem. According to The Ringer, Curry nailed 18 of his 31 shots on Sunday, but the rest of the Warriors were only 5-for-18 from 3. For the other teams, the strategy is as simple as ensuring that Curry doesn't get the ball much. For now, much of it is to be shouldered by Curry and the Warriors need to have their act in place by the time they enter the mid-game phase of the regular season.
Until then, as long as Curry's Curry, there's every chance for the Warriors to do a repeat of the 2017 and 2018 season.