"Gotta be real with yourself": Steph Curry breaks silence on Warriors being 'average' comments amid rough season
For over a month, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors were languishing in 12th place in the stacked Western Conference. They’ve regrouped since Jan. 24, holding a 9-4 record to climb to 10th. Despite their recent surge, they are one game above .500, with a 27-26 win-loss mark.
The Dubs’ record could have been a little better had they not lost 130-125 to the LA Clippers on Feb. 14, having held a 12-point lead in the fourth quarter. More worryingly, they collapsed to a team that was without Kawhi Leonard, LA’s most dangerous two-way player.
After the frustrating loss, Steph Curry called his team “very average” in the postgame interview. For him, the Warriors were not going anywhere if they could not step up. He hoped that after the All-Star break, they would make the strides.
Leading into the All-Star game, the two-time MVP clarified his “average” comments about the Warriors:
“Our record was one game above .500 and you are what your record says you are.
"Until we truly get over the hump and get real momentum to come up the standings a little bit, I know we’re capable of it, sometimes you have to be real with yourself that where we are is not good enough even though it’s better than where we were a month ago.”
The Golden State Warriors have struggled for nearly the entire season. There have been stretches where they reminded fans of their glory years, but more often than not, Curry’s assessment is spot on. Steve Kerr has had to juggle his lineup to get the most out of his players.
Previously, the Jonathan Kuminga-Andrew Wiggins combo was a disaster. Kerr eventually stuck with it, and the dividends are only just starting to pay off. Draymond Green’s return from suspension has given the Dubs a big lift with his playmaking, defense and ability to connect Kuminga and Wiggins.
Through it all, Steph Curry has been the Golden State Warriors’ most consistent and reliable player. The Dubs have needed everything they could get from him to stay afloat and will need more from everyone to push for a playoff spot.
Steph Curry has to sustain his elite form to drag the Warriors to the playoffs
Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors headed into the NBA All-Star break with a 27-26 record for 10th in the NBA. If they can’t sustain their recent surge in form, the Utah Jazz (26-30) and Houston Rockets (24-30) could chase them down.
If they get into the play-in tournament, they will have to fare even better. The Dallas Mavericks (7th), Sacramento Kings (8th) and LA Lakers (9th) could join them in the pre-playoff tournament. Nailing the eighth and final postseason spot will be a war, considering the opponents they will have to hold off.
Steph Curry will need to play at an MVP level and get sufficient support from his supporting cast to rise from being “average” to an elite playoff team.