"Steph understands he's gotta be a more traditional point guard than normal" - Steve Kerr on Steph Curry's changing role in absence of Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala

Steph Curry's passing and playmaking are such underrated parts of his game. [Photo: San Francisco Chronicle]

Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors ended their two-game losing slump with a win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Their immediate win after the All-Star break improved their record to 43-17, which is second only to the Phoenix Suns for the best in the league.

The team record, though, wasn’t the only one that caught the attention of basketball analysts and fans. Steph Curry’s career-high 14 assists was also a headline-grabber after the Warriors’ win. The impressive number of assists was a surprise change, considering it’s been his shooting and scoring that usually gets all the limelight.

Head coach Steve Kerr explained why Steph Curry’s playmaking and assists have improved without Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala (via 95.7 The Game):

“In the absence of Draymond and Andre, Steph understands he’s gotta be a more traditional point guard than normal because those two guys have the ball in their hands so often for us, Steph can play off the ball. When they’re absent, Steph really needs to take control of the game and manage it and operate it. I thought he did a great job of that last night.”

With Draymond and Iguodala out, Kerr says “Steph understands he has to be a more traditional point guard than normal.”

(via @DamonAndRatto)

One of Draymond Green’s well-chronicled but less-appreciated roles by basketball analysts and fans is his duty and ability to set up teammates, including Steph Curry. When the Warriors’ multi-talented point-forward is on the floor, the team’s dynamic changes. Curry and Klay Thompson have become even more of a threat as Green handles the de facto playmaker role.

With opposing defenses collapsing on the NBA’s greatest shooter, Steph Curry has made them pay with his underrated playmaking. The Portland Trail Blazers predictably threw everything at him, but the 2x MVP kept them on their heels with his vision and passing.

Steve Kerr naturally noticed this and was all praise for his All-Star point guard:

“Steph picked his spots wisely and really did a good job of just controlling the whole game but his passing was brilliant. They were trapping him everywhere and he was giving out the ball cleanly and created 4-3 advantages all over the floor.”

Listen to Steve Kerr's full interview with @DamonAndRatto ⤵️

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Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala relieve the pressure off of Steph Curry with their playmaking

The Golden State Warriors' three-headed playmaking trio make the team ultra-versatile and unpredictable. [Photo: East Bay Times]

Steve Kerr has given the keys to the offense to both Draymond Green and Andre Iguodala in the last few years. While it’s Steph Curry who regularly handles nominal point guard duties, Green and Iguodala have been indispensable with their set-up jobs. They allow the reigning scoring champ to look for his spots and torch opponents with his deadly shooting.

Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins on guarding Draymond Green:

"It's difficult. You want to make it tough on him. He's an elite playmaker, so he has to choose between two things. Sometimes if you pressure up, he drives by you, but you don't want to give him easy passing lanes."

Green and Iguodala’s impact on offense is so underrated that Steve Kerr and his team took some time to adjust to their absences.

“I think it took a couple of games for all of us, myself included because when Draymond is out and then when Andre is out, too, our team really changes. Those guys are, and they have been for years, the guys who sort of get us organized, handle the ball, point-forward to push the ball and kind of change the chessboard in terms of what the defense is looking at. You remove them from the equation, we become more traditional," said Kerr.