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Stephen Curry's free pass is running out, and so might his time with Kevin Durant

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Shaq2Yao, May 5, 2019.

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  1. Shaq2Yao

    Shaq2Yao Member

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    https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...-out-and-so-might-his-time-with-kevin-durant/

    by Brad Botkin, 12 hrs ago • 4 min read

    It's dissipated some over the last few years, but there's been a long-running, highly uninformed narrative that Stephen Curry doesn't show up in the playoffs. It's never been anything close to true. What has been true is Curry has been closer to human in the playoffs, which is understandable. Defenses get tougher. He is schemed for mercilessly. He gets double- and even triple-teamed as a matter of course. Still, he has better postseason numbers than Kobe Bryant, on far more efficient clips.

    The reason it's necessary to point out the flaws of previous postseason Curry claims is to be very clear about the fact this this 2019 postseason is something different, and this second-round series against the Houston Rockets, to this point, is something especially different. Curry has been bad. No two ways about it. And not just by his lofty standards. Just bad. By any standard.

    Curry finished Golden State's Game 3 loss with 17 points on 7-of-23 shooting including 2-of-9 from 3, and that was after hitting his first two shots of the game. The Rockets aren't doing anything special against him. They're guarding him hard, not helping off him, switching his off-ball screens and doubling occasionally when he runs pick-and-roll -- all basic coverages that he's plenty used to seeing, and beating.

    Only difference is, he's not beating anyone. At least not consistently. For the series against Houston, he's 8-for-32 from 3. Long gone is the Curry who could seemingly create space any time he wanted it. Whether that's because playing with Kevin Durant has gotten out of that rhythm is perhaps a debate, but you almost never see it anymore. Even when he does beat switches or get to the rim, he is not finishing the same in these playoffs. In Game 3, Curry missed seven shots in the restricted area, the most for a single player in a single playoff game in the last 20 years, per ESPN. Have a look:



    Curry was lights-out in the playoff opener against the Clippers, going 8-of-12 from 3. From that point forward, he's shooting just 35 percent from downtown. He's in constant foul trouble. He's not making an appreciable impact as a playmaker for others. Golden State plays him mostly off the ball these days, so his impact really comes from scoring and drawing defensive attention. He's always going to do the latter, which is part of the reason even his sub-par statistical games are often ignorantly criticized given the impact his mere presence and willingness to move constantly without the ball has on games.

    But again, this is different. He's genuinely playing badly in this series. He looks more and more like a guy who isn't contributing a ton when he isn't hitting shots -- and he's not hitting many shots. Durant can't do it all. Houston is back in this series at 2-1 with Game 4 on Monday, and if James Harden is going to be criticized when he doesn't play well in the playoffs (which to a large degree he hasn't this year), Curry has to be held to the same fire. This missed "dunk" late in the fourth quarter was simply inexcusable:



    Look at the time and score there. That bucket would've cut the Rockets' lead to three with 20 seconds to play. This game was far from over, and Curry thinks it's a good time to prove he can dunk? This isn't the first time Curry has done this, either. On multiple occasions he's gotten stoned by the rim trying to prove he's a big boy. Just lay the dang ball in. Take the two points. Foul Houston and see what happens.

    To Curry's credit, he made no excuses after the game. He said the finger he dislocated on his left hand in Game 2 had nothing to do with the way he played. Truth is, he wasn't playing all that well before the finger injury. And besides that, Harden's out there looking like a cat mauled his eyeball, and he just put up 41. Usually when Curry has even one bad shooting game, you can count on him to come out blazing the next time. But he has actually been more prone to clusters of bad shooting games this season than at any point over the past five years.

    "He just had a tough night," Steve Kerr said after the game. "It doesn't matter how good you are, you're going to have some bad games."

    Curry's now had more than one bad game. More than a few, actually. And the Warriors are one more loss on Monday from being in a serious jam heading back to Oakland in a tied series with no momentum and a Houston team out for blood. For the last three years there's been a lot of talk about whether the Warriors are Curry's team or Durant's team. For the most part, it's been kind of a dumb question. They've both been so great it hasn't mattered. Take your pick. But right now, Curry is simply not pulling enough weight. The Warriors would be sunk without Durant. And this might be the last year they have him.
     
    #1 Shaq2Yao, May 5, 2019
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  2. YallMean

    YallMean Member

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    He is who is. Let’s not carried away. You don’t want him to be extra motivated to prove the world is wrong and does well only in that game. Any NBA player can do that.
     
    #2 YallMean, May 5, 2019
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  3. juanm34

    juanm34 Member

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    Will Kerr try to get stephanie going for game 4 and limit the snakes production????
    We can contain stephanie which can limit the impact snake has for the game.....
     
    #3 juanm34, May 5, 2019
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  4. Voltik

    Voltik Member

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    A switching defense and an offense that makes him work, has really affected his game. However, if there is one player in the league that can go off any moment with his shooting, has to be Curry. Second would be Klay. Curry has been missing shots that he usually makes and part of that is our defense/offense but also that’s him for one reason (Durant) or another (injuries, not made for playoffs, etc).

    The refs also play favoritism with him (not calling obvious fouls on him, giving him his theatric fouls, missed traveling calls, touch fouls, etc) will help him regain his confidence in Game 4 and if not definitely in Game 5. The Worriers will help in getting him going throughout the game with Durant also getting his share and that’s where we won’t be able to afford not playing well (missed defensive assignments/communication, turnovers, rebounding, missed shots, and transition defense).
     
    #4 Voltik, May 5, 2019
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  5. FranchiseBlade

    FranchiseBlade Member
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    Curry could go off at any moment. We should never underestimate him. The problem I have with him is that his (lack of) defense isn't called out while Harden's is. Harden plays much better defense than Curry. Harden plays bigger players in the post very well. He does extremely well in clutch moments. Curry gets exposed many times each game. The commentators and media don't really call him out like they do Harden.

    I get it. Harden makes mistakes as well on defense but not like Curry and Harden does more beneficial things on defense than Curry. Curry gets free pass after free pass.
     
    #5 FranchiseBlade, May 5, 2019
    Last edited: May 5, 2019
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  6. Easy

    Easy Boban Only Fan
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    Durant playing point might have affected Curry's offense.
     
    #6 Easy, May 5, 2019
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  7. FranchiseBlade

    FranchiseBlade Member
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    The way to help limit Curry having a resurgence is to expose his defensive weakness. Get Harden, Rivers, and CP3 to always use switches so that Curry will guard them. Then they should just drive past him. He can't guard them on the perimeter. All of them should do it every time.
     
    #7 FranchiseBlade, May 5, 2019
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  8. tmacfor35

    tmacfor35 Member

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    Duran't shooting 30 times is pretty ideal for the Rockets.

    For those who want to point out that Curry and Thompson didn't play well.

    Iggy and Green did more than enough to fill those voids.

    Durant is going to have an off night soon.
     
    #8 tmacfor35, May 5, 2019
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  9. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Member

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    He already won a ring without Durant
     
    #9 Mr. Clutch, May 5, 2019
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  10. SamFisher

    SamFisher Member

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    This "steph curry is done" mini narrative is doomed to erupt on the Rockets...lets retire it please. Keep hunting him on d and hoping for the best and that he's not allowed unlimited personal fouls like in game 1.
     
    #10 SamFisher, May 5, 2019
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  11. topfive

    topfive CF OG

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    "If James Harden is going to be criticized when he doesn't play well in the playoffs (which to a large degree he hasn't this year), Curry has to be held to the same fire."

    This might be a good time to let this writer know that Harden has played as well as Durant in this series, despite suffering an injury.
     
    #11 topfive, May 5, 2019
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  12. Nick

    Nick Member

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    I highly prefer the Warriors dedicate more plays/time to getting Steph Curry right.... vs. just giving the ball to Durant and having him score at will each/every time.
     
    #12 Nick, May 5, 2019
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  13. HorryForThree

    HorryForThree Member

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    Curry is an amazing player...but he is always at his best when the Warriors are running away with a game. The most dangerous point in any game vs. GSW is when they get up by more than 5, as they can get a lead to balloon to 15 in a very short period of time. When a game isnt tight, they can play care free, which is when Steph goes up and shoots from near half court and everyone else passes the ball around. We have done well to keep games close this series, but have not executed well late game before last night.
     
    #13 HorryForThree, May 5, 2019
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  14. Voltik

    Voltik Member

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    Doubt that writer will even care as subjective reasoning seems to prevail over sound objective arguments. It’s whatever the media wants to push on their own terms.
     
    #14 Voltik, May 5, 2019
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  15. YaoMing#1

    YaoMing#1 Member

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    I’m with you on this and I think that’s the Rockets plan.

    Have KD get into a 1 on 1 matchup with Harden which slows the pace down and just stay glued onto curry and klay and see if iggy and green can keep scoring, Which they have but it’s a good strategy.

    I’m pretty sure iggy who scored more than 14 points only 5x all year has done it 3x in a row shooting 70% is prob not going to keep it up.

    Same with green although I have more confidence in him keeping up what he’s doing than iggy shooting 75% from 3 for 3 straight games.

    I think more ppl need to realize curry and klay struggles is because of our switching defense they don’t get all those back door cuts or wide open threes off curls like that do against other teams that don’t play like us.

    We’re perfectly fine letting Capela guarding curry or Durant in iso alone the avg is on our side even tho they are so great at shooting. No team can play this way but us and I guess the bucks if they put Giannis at center and take splash mountain out the game.
     
    #15 YaoMing#1, May 5, 2019
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  16. rocketchamp

    rocketchamp Member

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    Curry & Klay are struggling bc our defense. We are switching & not giving them space to shoot. The media won't give us credit because it doesn't fit their "MDA doesn't coach defense" narrative. But the Rockets have played GS better than any team can defensively
     
    #16 rocketchamp, May 5, 2019
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  17. RocketOrg

    RocketOrg Member

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    Curry will probably drop 30 the next game, but that means less possessions for Durant. And the writer is correct, without KD this Warriors team ain’t winning a championship.KD has single handily carried this team with his play.
     
    #17 RocketOrg, May 5, 2019
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  18. dakeem1

    dakeem1 Member

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    But he still needed a finals MVP to get there.... Iggy!
     
    #18 dakeem1, May 5, 2019
  19. riko

    riko Member

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    Against Lebron missing Kyrie and Love and even then the Cavs had the, on the rope . If Lebron has his full team they would have destroyed the warriors in 5. We also know what Kyrie did to him in the finals the next season.He has the last two rings because of Durant
     
    #19 riko, May 5, 2019
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  20. bilaal14

    bilaal14 Member

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    eh i dont care.... i want to beat them this year... i know once this band in broken the Rockets will win 2-3 championships....it will be fun....but it wont be that much fun.
     
    #20 bilaal14, May 5, 2019
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