Curry the key to Warriors’ renaissance in 2020-21

The Golden State Warriors were the worst team in the NBA last season, one that for them was mercifully truncated by the pandemic shutdown.

Now, with a few tweaks to their roster they’re back and hoping to return to the winning side of the ledger in 2020-21. But as always, key to that effort will be their stalwart point guard Stephen Curry.

At 32, the six-time All-Star is returning from a broken hand suffered in the season’s fourth game, an injury that didn’t allow him to play again until the week before the shutdown. By that time the Warriors, then the defending Western Conference champions, were well on their way to a 15-50 record, one due in large part to the prolonged absences of Curry and All-Star shooting guard Klay Thompson as well as the departure of All-Star forward Kevin Durant.

This season, hope is on the horizon for the Dubs. The draft has netted them former Memphis center James Wiseman with the second overall pick, while trades have brought useful pieces in forwards Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andrew Wiggins, who gets his first full season in blue and gold after being acquired at the end of 201920.

Of course, Curry will be the one directing them and keeping everyone on the same page, much as he did during Golden State’s championship years. His career credentials (two-time NBA MVP; three-time NBA champion; 23.5 points and 6.6 assists per game) speak for themselves.

Curry and the Warriors can be seen in action Monday, Jan. 18, when they drop in on the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the late contest of a TNT doubleheader.