The Warriors have simply three video games left to play within the common season, however the implications of every might have them seeded as excessive as No. 3 or as little as No. 6 within the Western Convention playoffs.
The common season nonetheless holds excessive stakes, which makes Steph Curry’s absence for the remaining video games sting. Hope for his return was dashed final week with information that his sprained left foot could be re-evaluated a day after the Warriors’ last sport towards the New Orleans Pelicans on April 10.
And whereas it was no shock that Curry would get that further time to heal, it has grow to be clear the Warriors offense is inconsistent with out him.
They desperately want his gravity and scoring within the playoffs. There may be optimism that Curry will likely be cleared to play for Recreation 1 of the playoffs on April 16, however no assurances have been made.
“I’m not going to invest so far as what number of weeks he misses as a result of we simply don’t actually know,” coach Steve Kerr stated earlier this week. “As a result of he has a basis of 70 video games beneath him, and seeing him previously, I feel he'll reply shortly.”
Curry has a historical past of taking part in by accidents throughout the playoffs. He sprained his MCL twice, forcing him to overlook vital chunks of the 2016 and 2018 postseason. However he was impactful as ever — generally with minutes restrictions — when he returned to motion. Curry’s efficiency individually will not be an enormous concern for the group if and when he returns.
“Steph has been injured many instances throughout and earlier than the playoffs previously and he’s at all times returned nicely. I’m not involved about him,” Kerr stated. “All it takes is one shot and he’s again in rhythm. We’ll see the way it goes over the subsequent few weeks, however following the recommendation of the coaching workers and we’ll go from there.”
However how may the group fare if Curry can’t play just a few playoff video games?
Statistically, the Warriors are merely incomplete with out him. They’re 5-10 this season in video games he’s missed. The offense holds a team-worst 105 offensive ranking when he’s off the court docket and a team-best 114 offensive ranking with him on court docket.
The attention check backs these numbers: Golden State’s offense is clogged with out Curry and distinctive with him within the rotation. With out Curry’s off-ball skills, Kerr’s movement offense doesn’t fairly circulation at its greatest and the Warriors typically fall brief on firepower wanted to maintain up.
Positive, Jordan Poole has performed his greatest Curry impression; his 67 3-pointers led the NBA in March and fueled a streak of 17 video games with no less than 20 factors scored. He’s been nails from past the arc, sustaining a forty five % charge over that 17-game span whereas mixing up his scoring sport with impeccable and impossible-looking strikes to the rim.
Klay Thompson provides a particular sort of firepower, too, regardless of coursing by extra excessive lows than highs since his return on Jan. 9. His 36-point, eight 3-pointer explosion towards the Utah Jazz in Saturday’s win exhibits why — regardless of these valleys — he stays some of the harmful shooters in NBA historical past.
Assuming the Warriors will play the Dallas Mavericks, Utah Jazz or Denver Nuggets within the first spherical, Poole and Thompson will not be sufficient firepower in sure match-ups with out Curry.
The Mavericks would be the worst match-up — even with Curry. With stretch 5 Dwight Powell and appreciable size with wings akin to Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, and Reggie Bullock, Dallas has gamers that double as smothering defenders and succesful shooters. Their offense is headed up by 6-foot-7 celebrity guard Luka Doncic, a relentless bully towards Golden State this 12 months.
A primary-round collection towards Denver or Utah could be a distinct story. Although Nikola Jokic is a scary opponent for any group in a best-of-seven collection, Draymond Inexperienced can assist neutralize that risk and the Warriors ought to have them beat on expertise — even with out Curry — with Denver presumably lacking Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. within the playoffs.
If the Jazz proceed to play heart Rudy Gobert in drop protection subsequent to a porous perimeter protection, the Warriors sans-Curry might really get pleasure from a collection towards Utah. Poole, Thompson and Andrew Wiggins might stroll right into a handful of scoring alternatives with the wide-open areas within the mid-range and past the arc.
A few of these first-round matchups may very well be winnable with out Curry — and imagining any state of affairs with out him may very well be moot if he returns for Recreation 1 — however Curry is the Warriors’ offense. They’ll want him again to make a deep postseason run.