Injured or healthy, Curry drives Warriors
Since rejoining bench at home, sharpshooter has used insight to spark 3 straight victories
Midway through the third quarter Wednesday, when Stephen Curry turned toward assistant coach Bruce Fraser on the Warriors’ bench and told him he had noticed something, Fraser knew to listen carefully.
In the six years they’ve worked together, Fraser has come to consider Curry a basketball savant. That belief was only reinforced when, with pen and notebook in hand, Fraser jotted down Curry’s latest pointer: “The Rockets are switching on high pickandrolls. If you have Willie (CauleyStein) fake the screen and sprint toward the rim, he should be open.”
Fraser immediately relayed Curry’s observation to head coach Steve Kerr, who made the adjustment. Less than a minute later, CauleyStein appeared to go in for a screen, only to bail on it at the last moment, race hard toward the basket, catch a pass from point guard D’Angelo Russell and throw down a dunk.
Since he rejoined the Warriors’ bench at home games recently, Curry has received attention for his allout sideline celebrations. But those
inside Golden State’s organization recognize that, in addition to being the best shooter in NBA history and a topflight cheerleader, the 31yearold Curry is a unifying force.
“It’s no coincidence that we started winning when he got back on that bench,” Fraser said, referencing the 30 record the 824 Warriors have posted since Curry retook his seat Friday after spending a couple of weeks in Los Angeles rehabbing from a second procedure on his surgically repaired left hand. “Having him around is that important for us.”
Numerous analytics have highlighted how Curry affects Golden State on the court, from his ability to improve teammates’ shooting percentages to his absurd plusminus. Much trickier to quantify, however, is how his mere presence on the bench and in the locker room factors into the Warriors’ success.
When Curry missed three weeks last year with a strained left groin, he played the role of peacemaker, easing tensions in the wake of a wellpublicized rift between Draymond Green and Kevin Durant. Now mired in his most extended absence since ankle issues limited his 201112 season to 26 games, Curry is settling in as a trusted mentor.
Of his 10 new teammates, seven are 23 or younger. A halfdecade ago, when Alen Smailagic, Jordan Poole and Marquese Chriss started to take basketball seriously, Curry was blossoming into a cultural phenomenon. These days, the Warriors’ youngsters still have a tough time believing that they share a roster with their childhood idol.
But whenever Curry cracks a joke about being an “old man” or shares a story from his tumultuous rookie season, Smailagic, Poole and Chriss — none of whom are older than 22 — are reminded that Curry was once one of them, a newbie trying to navigate life in the NBA. By establishing this common ground, Curry made himself more approachable and got to know his new teammates relatively quickly.
“He talks to everybody,” Chriss said. “It’s weird to me. Somebody being so good, you expect them to have an ego and kind of keep to themselves. But he talks to everybody like they’re on the same level as him, and I think it makes for a good culture around here.”
Because Curry makes a point to convey positivity, only his family and closest friends have seen the toll his injury has taken on him. This is someone who believes his Godgiven purpose is to bring others happiness through basketball. Unable to scrimmage or play his other favorite sport, golf, Curry has sent Fraser texts in recent weeks expressing how much he misses being on the court with his teammates.
Like most players going through a lengthy rehab, Curry has felt isolated at times as he goes through strengthbuilding exercises and agility drills on his own. Under strict orders not to fly, he has watched the Warriors’ games at home, yelling at his TV when a referee misses a call.
The recovery process affords him more time with his wife, Ayesha, and three young kids. Curry has relished the chance to pick up Ryan, 4, and Riley, 7, from school. Before Wednesday’s game, Curry told Fraser how much he enjoyed watching his 17monthold son, Canon, giggle after he made a shot on the miniature hoop Curry got him for Christmas.
Since he returned to the Warriors’ bench last week, Curry has ratcheted up his celebrations, going hoarse from screaming and feigning death when a teammate hits a deep 3pointer. It didn’t take long for Golden State’s reserves to follow his lead. At one point during Wednesday’s win over the Rockets, a referee asked Kerr to tell his players not to run on the floor.
“Ref, we’re going to run on the floor; we’ve had a lousy season,” Kerr recalled telling him. “If you’ve got to call a (technical), you’ve got to call a ‘T.’ And he said, ‘All right, fair enough.’”
Over the past few days, Curry has progressed to light oncourt work. His doctors have told him that, barring a setback, he should be able to join the Warriors on trips within the next couple of weeks.
This will be no small development for the team.
“Anytime you look around, you can just feel his energy,” Fraser said. “Even if he’s not playing, you can still feel his spirit. That’s huge.”