He kept repeating the same mistake in these Finals (especially in Game 7) as he made the first time he saw this kind of defense in SA during the regular season . He kept looking for a 3 when a big switched onto him instead of driving ( his FG% at the rim was way down in the postseason though ). Kerr has his share of blame about this too . Curry PPP when guarded by Irving was 1.37... and 0.78 when guarded by TT Should have been way more isos for Curry .... would have created better looks for the whole team
The Cavs didn't do anything different than what OKC or San Antonio did, Curry just didn't play well, injured or not. I know injuries suck but he was bricking wide open shots. I think he was rattled for the first time all season and didn't know how to recover from it. When his shot is falling his confidence is through the roof and he literally can make almost everything. But it's clear his confidence was disrupted and he was not mentally there this entire Finals. He was make bone headed passes and being too fancy, I thought he should've known better than that. But he still has a lot more maturing to his game to do. Really exposed him. He doesn't have that killer instinct Kobe said he did, he wilted in the most import time of his career.
I don't like the term "exposed" being thrown around for losing a Finals though. Many all time greats have lost Finals, and many of them came back and won titles after that, some won and lost and won and lost. Curry blew it this series, it doesn't define his career, he still has a ring. LeBron blew it vs the Mavs and Spurs with Miami, didn't define his career because his career wasn't over and he took it to another level with his 3rd title. Curry isn't done, same as Durant and Westbrook aren't, same as LeBron wasn't and still isn't. If Curry goes to another Finals and plays like his usual self and gets another win, this loss doesn't mean as much.
There is a reason they say you live and die by jumpshots. If its falling, its amazing to watch. if not, it gets ugly. Curry is very much dependent on his shot, as is Thompson. They are unstoppable when they are on but if the shot is not falling, they have literally no solutions to counter-attack.
The old heads of NBA were right then. Once he faced a hands on tough defense he couldn't shoot as easily and effectively like he did prior to the NBA season. Teams have figured out a way to stop the Warriors hot shooting. They're stopping them way out front of the 3 point line. But here's the thing. The Warriors can also use that to their advantage and wear down the opposing teams defenders. That's why Curry needs to develop his mid range game a little more too as well as driving more to the paint. Right now he's just an extremely talented 3 point shooter, so is Klay Thompson.
He's the best shooter in today's NBA. Only title he's earned. I don't care about injuries. It's game 7 of the NBA finals. Everyone is hurt. If you can suit up, you push through it. If you can't, sit your a** down. He cost his team dearly with awful PG decisions, boneheaded TOs, and missed (some badly) shots. He was MIA down the stretch. He shrunk on the biggest stage he's played on. Not a good look. Maybe the talking heads will pump the breaks when squawking about his greatness.
I love Steph but this is the second Finals that he's been underwhelming, and frankly he kind of sucked for most of this one. Granted he was hurt, but like JSM said, that's where the greatest ones push through. There were too many bad shots, too many bonehead TO's for a Game 7. He choked in the fourth quarter and that's where someone like Kobe or one of the all time killers would have come through or died trying. He should have gone to the rack more to change it up because his J wasn't working. You have to get to the line, do something positive to carry your team down the stretch and he didn't. He's an amazing player but he didn't get the job done and that's on him. Draymond was superb in this series and if GS had won he should have been their MVP. Curry was not anywhere in the running and that's pretty damning.
But Curry is an insanely deadly midrange shooter. He has been since he first stepped into the league. He also developed into one of the best at driving to the hoop. For example, he was 3rd in drive FG% behind only Griffin and Durant, and he attempted more drives per game than either of them. Of course, this was all in the regular season. In the finals, he couldn't even shake off Kevin Love on an isolation. He was regularly destroying bigs on isolations in the regular season, but he couldn't even get any space on Love. It was soooooo disappointing to witness.
I'm also going to put this out there. When Monty McCutchen is reffing, Warriors are 3-4 at home (.428). In all other games, Warriors were 47-1 (.979). Monty McCutchen called 11 fouls on Golden State last night. He only called 6 fouls on the Cavs. He ended up reffing both games 5 and 7.
As hard as Curry has worked to get to his level, he can and will adjust. Remember, Kobe had a dreadful 2004 finals. I honestly don't see why he can't learn from this. He'll have to toughen up, and learn how to help his team when his shot is not on. In the playoffs, when defenses tighten up and adjust, when the game gets more physical, superstars have to adjust in order to lead their teams. Curry will learn from this.
The most annoying thing that Steph and Warriors do is the silly boneheaded turnovers. Sloppy passes or passes that are unnecessarily flashy. So many times in the playoffs, whenever they're out on a fastbreak, I almost always expect them to turn the ball over when they attempt to pass, and they usually did.
He let the hype get to his head. Just like LeBron did in recent years, LeBron learned and he's etched his legacy. If Curry wants to be back on top he needs zone in on being a champion and not a popular athlete. First step is admitting his game is flawed and he needs to work on it. If he can combine his lethal shooting with other attributes I can see a few more titles in his future. It all depends on his health as well, he is close to being a injury prone player.
Agreed with some caveats... The difference is that 24 has the physique to withstand the extra stuff. He can shoot over defenders straight up on pull ups or in the post. 24 can blow by defenders, elevate and flush it on their grills. Curry is a fine player but he has none of those capabilities to go with his slight frame so has quite a bit of work to do. I do find odd that the same moves in the perimeter that freed him off defenders regardless of size did not work in these Finals.
He and his teammates must be miserable today because literally only two plays would have given them the victory. There are so many to choose from it's not even funny, so you know this will haunt them all summer long.
It wouldn't hurt if he was an athletic 6'6" like 24. Steph isn't that but he could learn from watching tapes of Isaiah Thomas and Allen Iverson. Neither of them were physically overwhelming but they were relentless. Steph needs to channel his inner Iverson, his inner Zeke. Maybe losing the way he lost will bring that out of him.
Ju, good models for Curry... Those two were relentless competitors. Nothing fancy but just came at defenders over and over and over again. 24 said that much about The Answer. Curry's a better shooter by a considerable margin and a more smoother player...just doesn't that "edge" at least not yet. He picks and probes more rather than attacking which is either by design or just his way of angling for an advantage. He does have really nice handles with very good court vision. One aspect I wish Curry would avoid is the fancy pass. That behind the back one he tried to get it to his running mate Thompson last night made me groan. One instance of the k.i.s.s. concept as a necessity. Keep it simple s****d. Yes, I think Curry will use this as a learning experience to round his game. I still think that there was no way Love defended him as well on that critical possession last night. He has an injury or injuries that has kept him from optimum.
For what it's worth, Golden State are an early favorites for the 2017 season. The loss of Bogut really hurt them. He protected the paint, kept the opposing bigs from leaving him for lobs or easy inside passes not to mention he could deliver the ball to cutters and open teammates.
All that went wrong, to lose by 4 points, and 3 games straight. Nightmares for months. They will probably be a monster next year.
