The Golden State Warriors have become the benchmark of great basketball this NBA season. Teams that feature the likes of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose visibly struggle when faced with Stephen Curry and his basketball squad. Moreover, the ability of almost every player on the Golden State Warriors roster to hit twos and threes at any given time appears to rattle their opponents.
Among the stars of the Golden State Warriors, Curry is widely known as the leader who pushes teammates Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green to greatness. His flawless execution of plays and confidence in the hardwood court have become the source of inspiration of his teammates. However, the recent performance of Curry in the match against the New York Knicks had fans wondering whether the NBA MVP is as necessary for the team as everyone initially assumed.
The 116-95 victory of the Golden State Warriors over the Carmelo Anthony team saw the emergence of Thompson and Green as potential leaders for the NBA champs. With Curry held back by the Kristaps Porzingis team, the other half of the famed Splash Brothers and the first-time NBA All-Star player took the lead in scoring and executing plays.
"I've just gotten better at it," commented Thompson of his off-ball movement, according to ESPN. "Just being patient, play at my own pace, not trying to run 100 miles per hour, using the screen, knowing if my guy gets clipped a little bit it'll be tough for them to contest my jumper because I release it so high. I feel like I've been cutting a lot better these last three games, not just standing on the weak side."
As for Green, he achieved the remarkable triple-double in the New York Knicks game. The NBA All-Star said of the accomplishment, "I didn't pay it any attention. Going back out there, [Golden State assistant coach] Ron [Adams] was like, 'Well, you got your 10 assists. Now just go get a rebound and don't throw no crazy passes.' Now, it's going to be hard for me to get a rebound, because I didn't know. That's how you do it. It comes within the flow of the game, within the flow of the offense."
At present, Curry has a very pocket-friendly contract of roughly $12 million. Since Curry is the franchise's star player and the face of the Golden State Warriors, it could be expected that the MVP will renegotiate his contract. That is, Curry will undoubtedly want a higher pay.
The achievements of both Green and Thompson now place a shadow on the significance of Curry in the Golden State Warriors. With the rumors circulating about the desire of the NBA champs to acquire Kevin Durant in free agency, some experts mull over the necessity of holding on to Curry. Hence, the Golden State Warriors will have to expertly maneuver the deals if they want to pursue Durant in the offseason.
Despite an off night, Curry remains one of the most widely respected players in the NBA today. Hall of Famer Chris Mullin describes the Golden State Warriors star as "legendary."
"One hundred percent the best shooter all-time," Mullin described Curry via San Jose Mercury News.
He added, "No question. It's beautiful. First of all, he's the best shooter of all-time, but he's much more than that. He commands so much attention. A lot of times, other guys are getting triple-doubles because of the attention he gets. He'll get the hockey assists just because they'll double him so early. It might be two passes later, but it really started with him. He's already a legendary, historical player. He's changing the way the game is being played and the way it's being perceived."
