The Golden State Warriors managed a gritty win against the Toronto Raptors. Right before the fourth quarter, they lost Stephen Curry. A hard fall on his back which ‘everyone could hear’ ended his night slightly early. But the Bay had an exhaustive task on their hands. They needed to hold a marginal lead without basketball’s most lethal weapon. How do you manage to do that when the Warriors have consistently won games with him for more than a decade?
It’s won by a community effort. All of the Warriors jumped in tonight, especially defensively to limit the Raptors’ comeback. After the game, Draymond Green admitted that without Curry their “offense is never going to be as smooth”. But they now have Butler, a safeguard who can manifest ways to win games. This time, he notched up a triple-double once again.
His target would be the younger Warriors players. Podziemski, Kuminga, and Post combined for 49 points tonight. It assures the Warriors of their depth that can still win without Stephen Curry. However, Green also gave them a reality check. They can’t try and be like the Baby Face Assassin.
Feb 2, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and guard Stephen Curry (30) react during the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
“Just expect them to play their game. None of those guys are going to be Steph Curry. Unfortunately, that’s just the way it goes. But they can be their best selves… So we just need them to be who they are. Be a master at your role and I think everybody is doing a great job of that. No one person in the NBA not just on our team, no one person in the NBA is going to be Stephen Curry. So we got to collectively try and give up the slack,” Green said in the post-game interview.
Which of the Warriors’ young up-comers could not agree with it? The Warriors is a ship built around the engine that Stephen Curry provides. He can run for hours, hit any shot, and most importantly force the defense to alter their coverage. If no one is on Steph, that is half the battle lost.
Now potentially playing some games without him, the Warriors need to clean up their play far greater than before. Green mentions that without Curry, there is practically no margin for error. And the Bay successfully executed their plans tonight.
The Warriors need the next man to step up
After playing a majority of the third quarter, Curry needed to sit out. The Warriors had just sliced the Raptors lead in that quarter. But without Curry, the Bay couldn’t replicate their offense. Likewise, they tightened their defensive integrity, allowing the Raptors to score only 22 points in the final quarter.
However, going forward, one part of the game can’t be ignored. Setting the tempo and having a process is vital. Green’s instructions are clear. The Warriors don’t have to try and find a Curry replacement. Brandin Podziemski explained just what that means. “It’s going to have to be a next man up mentality if he is out Saturday. Going to have to deal with it. It is what it is like I said don’t want to see anyone go down like that,” Podz said about what the Warriors need to do.
After a challenging start, Brandin Podziemski has flourished for the Warriors which hasn’t changed since he too returned from a back injury. Maybe because he knows that the back is precisely the most important part of the body to perform on the court, he can foresee Stephen Curry missing games to fully heal.
However, in terms of the next man up, Steve Kerr has a few at his disposal. The obvious choice is Jimmy Butler who has proven he can be the center of an offense and bring everyone alone. Additionally, Jonathan Kuminga could get extensive play time if Curry does opt to rest after his scary fall tonight.
Regardless, the main priority for the Warriors is to find a way to win without Curry’s tricks. The plays won’t be as simplistic and their efforts will have to be spirited from the first quarter. So far, they have done well without Curry. They just need to keep doing what they have been doing and not worry about anything that’s out of their control.
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