Oklahoma City Thunder Must Also Cope with Stephen Curry’s Shadow in WCF

The Golden State Warriors are a force beyond belief when Steph Curry is healthy enough to stand on the court, whether he’s dribbling the ball or drifting 35 feet from the action. 

There is no hyperbolizing his positive impact. Curry, now a two-time MVP, is the first player in NBA history to join the 50-40-90 club while leading the league in scoring. Unprecedented accuracy from outside makes him a code-red-level threat. He summons the attention of all five defenders like nobody else. 

The problem with that strategy is obvious: There are four other Warriors who deserve attention. It’s why slowing down this offense—a blitzkrieg that averaged 116.7 points per 100 possessions with Curry on the floor and 102.9 without him during the regular season—is the most complicated task in NBA history, never more confusing than when their best player is (often indirectly) used as a decoy. 

Curry is more devastating without the ball than some All-Stars are with the ball. By sprinting along the baseline, running up to set a screen or just standing whisper-still in the corner, his every action creates panic. 

Switching Is No Solution

This play from Game 4 against the Portland Trail Blazers encapsulates how Curry exhausts the competition’s focus. Watch as Draymond Green sets a screen on C.J. McCollum, freeing Curry up to race from one sideline to the other.

Instead of giving chase, McCollumn quickly passes the chore off to Damian Lillard before switching onto Andre Iguodala. 

Just like that, the Trail Blazers are dead. Iguodala backs the smaller McCollum up all the way into the restricted area before eventually scoring off his own missed layup. 

The phrase “pick your poison” has never been more accurate to describe the events on a basketball court. In a non-Curry universe, inviting the opposition to exploit an unfavorable matchup is a cardinal sin. Against the Warriors, a closely contested three is worse than a layup. 

Watch what happened earlier this season when the Warriors squared off against their potential Western Conference Finals opponent, the Oklahoma City Thunder. 

Curry springs off a down screen by Green. There’s a split second where literally every guy in a blue jersey has eyes on him. Kevin Durant switches onto the perimeter, while Curry’s man (Kyle Singler) is too scared to disengage. Shaun Livingston hits the now wide-open Green as he rolls to the hoop, and Russell Westbrook has no choice but to foul him at the basket. 

Even if Singler doesn’t hesitate on the switch, the …

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