NBA Offseason News and Updates: Steph Curry's Unhealthy 2016 Finals Not an Excuse for Dismal Performance; Player Stats and Rankings
He admits not being 100 percent, but "who cares?"
Right after the 2014-2015 NBA regular season, Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors were having the time of their lives. After all, they had just won 73 games in the 82-game season, breaking Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls' 72-10 record in the 1995-96.
When the postseason was almost over, the Warriors' dominance over the league was starting to fade. They had to climb from a 3-1 deficit against the Oklahoma City Thunder, only to be defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the same fashion to win the NBA title.
Their historical run culminating in a historical crash, fans began to point at their superstar, who had just won the first unanimously-decided MVP award. Curry undoubtedly had his worst series since he skyrocketed to stardom, and it took a toll on his Warriors.
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Steve Kerr's words, however, had finally come out of Curry's own mouth—he was not 100 percent in the Finals.
Not an excuse
After he sprained his knee during the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets, Curry never fully recovered. The sprain was reportedly compounded by ankle and elbow injuries, which could easily excuse Curry for not performing at par with his regular self late in the postseason.
However, both the two-time MVP and Coach Kerr said that should not be the case. Curry himself said he did not care about the injuries, because he was out there playing for his team. He also said he had been grinding during the summer to improve for the new season—especially with another former MVP in Kevin Durant on the block.
Disappointment
While Curry claims he had been there for his team, a record-breaking, award-winning superstar is always expected to produce in the most crucial moments. The clutch shooter and creative player Curry obviously did not show up in the last Finals. He topped a list of the worst Finals performances by an MVP, which also included his atrocious numbers during their 2015 title run.
In the 2016 series, Curry kept pulling up jumpers from outside even though 54.8 percent of those shots were tightly contested. He also dribbled more while trying to create opportunities for himself, abandoning the smooth ball movement the surging Warriors ran on during the season.
As a result, Curry averaged only 22.6 points and 3.7 assists per game, while shooting 40.3 percent from the field—a 10 percent difference from his regular season performance. If the Warriors are to make another title run, Curry would have to return to his dynamic form, even with Durant to help him get there.
