Curry has become an unsolvable riddle for Spurs
Stephen Curry charged down the court, with San Antonio guard Patty Mills on his hip. Spurs center Dewayne Dedmon jumped into Curry’s path. You could see in his eyes Dedmon realized what he’d done faced down the two-time MVP in open space, out on the perimeter. He knew he was in trouble.
Curry quickly slowed up. The uncertainty of what he was about to do buckled Dedmon on the spot. Curry didn’t even need a crossover or pump fake. With Dedmon seated on the hardwood, Curry dribbled right around him. Helpless, and probably envisioning himself getting roasted on social media, Dedmon reached out to grab Curry as he went by, adding a foul to the ensuing scoop layup.
In that one play, Dedmon was a metaphor for the Spurs.
After Tuesday’s 136100 win over San Antonio in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals, it was clear San Antonio has no answer for Curry. Not with Kawhi Leonard sidelined by a sprained left ankle. Not with Mills drawing the assignment. Not with Kevin Durant siphoning the Spurs defensive attention.
San Antonio has been one of the teams that handle Curry the best. As a result, the Spurs have had as much success against the Warriors as any team in recent years.
The Warriors with Curry have lost six times to San Antonio in the last four seasons. In those losses, Curry averaged 18.5 points on 39.4 percent shooting, including 11 of 47 from 3-point range.
But when they can’t contain the head of the Warriors’ snake, the Spurs really haven’t stood a chance. And through two games, they haven’t come close to slowing Curry. He had 29 points on 13 shots in three quarter of action, to go with seven assists and seven rebounds.
Curry has 69 points in 69 minutes, 44 seconds so far this series.
He has dribbled wherever he wanted. He has gotten whatever shot his heart’s desired. He is operating with a comfort and confidence that makes him virtually unstoppable.
He’s made 13 of his 25 3-point attempts over the first two games and scored double digits in four of the seven quarters he’s played. He has reeled off several highlights as he’s controlled the pace and flow of the game.
This has been a consistent theme in the last six games against the Spurs, including the last two playoff games. He’s figured out how to conquer the Spurs’ discipline and chemistry on defense. He’s stopped allowing their rigid, stoic style of play dictate his game and instead forced them into his world of frenetic play and organized chaos.
The Warriors have won five of their last six against the Spurs with Curry on the court. He’s averaged 31.3 points on 54.2 percent shooting and 6.5 assists in those games. Most of that has been with Leonard on the court. But without Leonard, the twotime defensive player of the year, the Spurs have looked incompetent against Curry.
Defeating the Warriors starts with having an answer for their dynamic point guard. Opponents either need a way to stop him, or someone who can match him point for point, putting the pressure on Curry’s teammates to produce.
No answer for Curry means not only he produces, but everyone can take advantage of his production. He leaves the defense scrambling, falling over itself, which opens all kinds of opportunities for his teammates.
The trick against the Spurs: aggressiveness. Curry has been attacking, forcing San Antonio to deal with him. He isn’t allowing himself to get lost in the shuffle of ball movement and cuts. He has robbed San Antonio of the occasion to deny him the ball with its smothering and precise help.