Stephen Curry has largely been a non-factor for the Golden State Warriors through two games of the Western Conference Finals, but the two-time MVP isn’t making excuses.
According to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Curry said he’s not concerned about his recently healed left knee.
“I feel good. I feel good. It’s something that you can’t shake off because of how recent the injury was. But I’m out there. I feel great, and I’m not worried about anything with my knee. I keep saying the same thing. I feel good.”
Golden State split the first two showdowns with the Houston Rockets while Curry shot a combined 2-of-13 from three-point range. The struggles represent a drastic fall in performance from the previous round against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Curry made his long-awaited return to the court during Game 2 of that series, and he buried 15-of-34 attempts from long distance. So, his percentage has plummeted from 44.1 to 15.4.
Perhaps the bigger problem, though, is how Houston has made a concerted effort to attack Curry on defense. When the Warriors are switching on screens, the Rockets consistently find a way to make him guard James Harden or Chris Paul.
That hasn’t exactly gone well for Curry.
But if he’s actually feeling good — and we’re not going to argue — simple math suggests an offensive surge is coming from the sharpshooter. That increase in productivity will both atone for issues on defense and turn the conversation away from his injury.