As Steph Curry approached Ray Allen’s all-time 3-point record, he fell into a bit of a funk. Now that the record has come and gone, Curry is still looking for the consistency and spark he had to start the campaign.
Steph came alive in the fourth quarter of Monday’s 113-98 win over the Sacramento Kings and ended up with 30 points, but struggled to begin the game. The Athletic’s Anthony Slater joined 95.7 The Game’s “The Morning Roast” Thursday to discuss Curry’s recent slump. Listen to the full interview below:
“He looks a little fatigued,” Slater told hosts Joe Shasky and Bonta Hill. “They’re even admitting it, like, softly. I think [coach Steve] Kerr keeps kinda somewhat alluding to it. I think some of the offensive burden has gotten to him a little bit. Obviously, the record chase was in there. We’ll see. I think he could use Klay Thompson coming back. But the problem for him – who’s out in health and safety protocols right now? The No. 2 leading scorer and the No. 3 – [Jordan] Poole and [Andrew] Wiggins – the guys who are supposed to take pressure off him.”
Slater noted how Curry has been hounded by lengthy perimeter defenders like Matisse Thybulle and Malcolm Brogdon in recent weeks who have slowed him down. In Thursday night’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Steph can expect to get a physical dose of defending from 6-foot-7 Dillon Brooks.
“Teams just want to beat him up,” Slater said.
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Over his past 10 contests, Curry is shooting just 37 percent from the floor and 34.8 percent from 3-point land while averaging 24.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.7 turnovers per game.
“I think it just happens to him,” Slater said. “If you go back and look at early last season, middle of last season, there were times where he might have put up under 40 percent from three or maybe there was a 10-game stretch with high usage where he was shooting 41 percent overall and 34 percent from three. He kinda goes through these cold stretches and then, boom, there’s a seven-game volcano situation and suddenly his percentages are right back up to career levels.”
Another reason for Curry’s perceived fatigue? Slater said the superstar is also expending lots of energy on the defensive end of the floor.
“A lot of these superstars, they exert themselves on offense and they kind of try to take defense off as much as possible,” Slater said. “He’s not doing that this year, which is really good for the Warriors. But I think it’s tired him out.”
The Warriors are 31 games in to their 82-game season.
