Steve Kerr Says Stephen Curry Has Finally Figured Out How to Play With Kevin Durant

Be on alert, NBA: the Warriors, who have the best record in the league at 40-7, are just figuring things out now.

Kyle Terada
USA Today Sports

Image via USA Today Sports

Kyle Terada

You certainly heard the buzz that ensued when Stephen Curry was named a starter in this year’s All-Star Game instead of Russell Westbrook. Though Westbrook is having a historic season (and, don’t get me wrong, he deserved to start), the noise was so loud that it might lead one to forget Curry is coming off of back-to-back MVP seasons, and last year he became the first ever unanimous MVP.

Though Curry has been good this year, he hasn’t quite been himself—at least until recently. He has found his groove just before the break, and Saturday he shot 9 for 15 from deep while pouring in 43 points in the Warriors’ 46-point thumping of the Clippers.

So, what has changed? He’s finally comfortable playing with Kevin Durant, says Golden State coach Steve Kerr.

Be on alert, NBA: the Warriors, who have the best record in the league at 40-7, are just figuring things out now. That’s scary.

“I think it’s just feeling comfortable with the lineups and feeling comfortable with KD,” Kerr said. “I think early in the season Steph was trying to go out of the way to find KD and get him shots and I think he was almost worried if he shot too much it would almost take away from Kevin."

“I think what Steph’s realized is he can just be himself and let it fly," he continued. "He doesn’t have to worry about Kevin or Klay or anybody else. We feed off of Steph’s energy and shooting. And Kevin is so unselfish, I mean he only had 11 shots today and went 9 for 11. He could be upset. Some guys in his position would be upset. ‘I only got 11 shots and I made nine of them.’ But he loves it when Steph’s scoring and shooting. So I think just the overall dynamics within the team have been established and in the first half of the season we were probably figuring some of that stuff out.”

Steve Kerr on Steph Curry's early season tentativeness disappearing over the last few weeks and him getting back to old self pic.twitter.com/yCSZny6b6r

Though he’s putting up about five fewer points per game and probably won’t be in contention for MVP (Westbrook and James Harden are the top contenders at the moment), Curry is still having a solid season. And if his recent play is any indication, the rest of the NBA should be very afraid.

If Curry and KD (who’s shooting his best since his MVP year) get it going, then it’s probably game over for the league.

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