Derrick White on what makes guarding Steph Curry a backbreaker task for players: “It’s just 48 minutes of, 'Where is Steph?'”
Steph Curry and Derrick White have had a few battles against each other. The intensity heightened when they met in the finals last season. White, on JJ Redick's Old Man and the Three podcast, shared how exhausting it is to defend Curry.
White is reputed as one of the smartest defenders in the league. He developed his defensive identity as a member of the San Antonio Spurs, the team that drafted him. Now with the Boston Celtics, the 6-foot-4 guard was tasked with guarding Curry during last season's finals bout.
The two-way guard explained to fans how daunting a task it was to defend the Golden State Warriors guard on the biggest stage of the NBA. Even a defensive specialist like White had difficulty catching up with the two-time MVP.
"Everybody talks about doing the same thing, like, that was the gameplan. It's just 48 minutes of, 'Where is Steph?'" White said.
"You gotta know where he is at all times, just trying to find him on the court, making his life difficult. That mental strain of, 'Where is he on the court?' Obviously, the way their offense is and the way he impacts the offense, he has so much gravity that it kinda opens up other things for everybody else, too." - White continued.
White performed well in his first finals appearance, not just on the defensive end, but also on offense. During the six-game series, the former Spurs guard averaged 9.8 points, 2.2 assists and 1.5 rebounds while shooting for a humble 32.7% from the field and 40% from the three-point territory.
The University of Colorado Boulder alum is in his first full season with Boston after getting traded by San Antonio during the middle of last season.
Winning the fifth title for Steph Curry is getting more elusive
Prior to the 2021-22 NBA season, the Warriors weren't seen as title favorites. However, this changed after Golden State put up a historic run, making them the 2022 NBA champions. This time around, they aren't playing a defensive game. This leads to the question, can their dynasty win a fifth championship?
The 2022-23 NBA season hasn't been kind to the Warriors. The team lost key players over the summer, and the ones that remained haven't lived up to their expectations. James Wiseman hasn't been the great player that the Warriors' fans were expecting. He's been called up repeatedly to the G-League and hasn't seen consistent playing time.
Such struggles have held back their performances. Their quest to win a fifth title has become increasingly difficult and time is running out for the iconic Golden State Warriors.
Also read: Steph Curry revealed his all-time starting 5 and NBA fans had some takes: "U a bum lil bro", "Hes that scared of LeBron or what?"
or this: Joe Dumars on recent debate over Steph Curry’s travel call: “If you can stop Steph Curry on just one play, it’s incredible”