Saying the Golden State Warriors have a problem when they’re 41-7 this season is akin to complaining about your tax return not being big enough. The Warriors are already the wealthiest team in the league. It’s hardly fair that they could be hitting an even higher ceiling.
Stephen Curry’s magic is back, and Kevin Durant is the reason
Durant keeps telling Curry to be himself. Recently, that message has been well received, and the Warriors are thriving for it.
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
It’s happening, though, and Kevin Durant is helping the Warriors raise it.
For a while, Stephen Curry hadn’t quite looked like the two-time MVP Stephen Curry, and instead was looking like an amazing-but-not-quite-as-sensational-as-we’re-used-to Stephen Curry. We noted that his three-point shooting has been slumping ever so slightly last week. On Sunday, Durant confirmed that he is consciously taking a step back so that Curry can return to his usual self.
“I just said to him, ‘Don’t worry about me,’” Durant told ESPN. “I said, ‘Just play your game. I’ll figure it out. I’ll figure it out around you. You’re the engine of this team, and I know that. I’m not trying to come over and feel like everything just revolves around me. Just do you, man. I’m going to play around you. I’ve played this game long enough. I know how to score. I know how to find the ball. Just go out there and play your game.’ And that’s what he’s been doing.”
Durant said he’s engaged in a series of brief conversations during practices and throughout game days to remind Curry that he shouldn’t feel pressured to adapt to Durant. It makes sense, because the Warriors consistently play better with Curry leading the charge for Golden State.
Durant’s record is 8-3 now, after the Warriors just barely outlasted the Trail Blazers for a 113-111 victory on Sunday. To be fair, Curry didn’t play at all, missing his first game of the year with a case of the flu. Durant scored 33 points on 26 shots in the narrow victory.
When we say Golden State plays better with Durant taking a step back, that isn’t a criticism of his play. After all, Durant has been sensational for the Warriors, especially defensively, but also without sacrificing too much of his normal output on offense. Golden State is a great team when Durant takes the lead. But they’re a fire-breathing basketball monster when Curry is being Steph.
Over the past weeks, and particularly since Christmas, that’s happening much more often. Since losing to the Cavaliers on Christmas Day, the Warriors are 13-2. Curry’s usage rate has been higher than Durant’s in 10 of those games, with the team boasting a 9-1 record. (The one loss was to Memphis, when both were over 30 percent). That makes Durant 4-1 with his usage rating higher. This is a clear flip from the pre-Christmas Warriors.
The point differential from the 15 games since Christmas checks out, too: There’s a plus-16.1 differential with Curry leading the way, compared to a plus-10.8 one with Durant.
Curry is totally accepting of Durant nudging him back into the lead.
“For lack of a better term, he said I need to get in my bag and be aggressive,” Curry told ESPN. “That back-and-forth dialogue is where you build chemistry and camaraderie to get through the season. You understand what each other needs to hear. It was not a come-to-Jesus meeting; it’s just being locked in, observing what’s going on and having each other’s back. You need that encouragement along the way.”
Curry looked every bit like the two-time MVP winner we all know and love in his last game. Playing the Clippers on Saturday, Curry roasted them to the tune of 43 points with nine made threes, including a half-courter to end the first half.
He even became a meme! You know Curry’s being Curry when the memes start flowing.
The Warriors could probably win tons of games if they let James Michael McAdoo lead the team in shot attempts. That’s how good they are. But by no fault of Durant’s, Curry is the player who unlocks the Warriors’ peak play.
Give Durant credit for accepting that.
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