One of the greatest NBA teams of all time is ripe for the taking, but the Toronto Raptors are not up to the task. With Steph Curry feeling the effects of an undisclosed illness and the great Klay Thompson leaving the game with a hamstring injury, Toronto couldn’t take advantage in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
I fully expect the Warriors to take the next two games in Oakland despite the likely absence of Kevin Durant (calf) and Thompson being listed as questionable for Game 3. Even with what Curry called a “janky” defense by the Raptors that limited his impact in the fourth quarter, the Warriors prevailed to even the series, 1-1. That dazed look on Kawhi Leonard’s face as he left the court said it all.
Veteran Andre Iguodala hit the game-clinching 3-point shot Sunday, and something he said afterwards grabbed my attention. It reminded me how Curry is far more beloved than Durant.
“I’ve never seen a person, such a good person, get comeback lines, whatever, from his peers because they’ve been so jealous of what he has, just kind of sticking it to him,” Iguodala said when asked what motivates the Warriors to play through injuries. “Whatever it takes to protect his legacy, we’re all for it.”
The only thing we have to compare this level of admiration to is what Dirk Nowitzki’s teammates felt about him. But many of those teammates moved on after the 2011 title due to retirement or curious decisions by Mark Cuban. The Warriors will keep their core of Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green and Iguodala together as long as possible. And Curry is this group’s leader despite not being nearly as vocal as Green. The Mavericks can only hope Luka Doncic will someday earn that type respect and loyalty from his teammates. Iguodala had just hit one of the biggest shots of his stellar career, but his thoughts turned immediately to Curry.
Durant waited for his teammates outside the locker room. He’s been a big part of the Warriors’ success, but he’s seen by many NBA fans as an interloper who took the path of least resistance to championship rings. Though they’d never admit it publicly, the Warriors have played with a renewed sense of joy since Durant was injured against the Houston Rockets. He was having a brilliant postseason, but his absence opened the door for Green to become the team’s facilitator. Green has had a transformative experience in the playoffs based on his decision to stop arguing with officials. He didn’t think it was a good example for his son and he decided it was also a waste of energy. I’ve never seen an NBA star completely change his attitude on a dime like Green. And surely there’s a blowup that will occur at some point.
I think the Warriors are determined to remind the world they were champions before Durant arrived. Iguodala backed that up with how he had Curry’s back after Sunday’s win. It was the original Warriors circling the wagons because they felt like someone disrespected their leader. With apologies to Run TMC, Curry is the most beloved player in franchise history. Some folks don’t like that he’s caused a generation of kids to launch shots from 30 feet, but the obsession with the 3-point shot was going to happen anyway. He just took it to the extreme.
I love that Raptors coach Nick Nurse tried something unorthodox in the fourth quarter Sunday to slow down Curry. The only problem was the Raptors went ice cold at the same time the Warriors were missing everything. If you can’t beat the Warriors in Toronto with Durant, Thompson and Kevon Looney injured, it’s unlikely you’ll win at the Oracle. The dynasty will continue, with or without Durant.
Steph Curry is the greatest shooter in the history of the game, for my money. But what Iguodala’s comments suggested is that Curry’s one of the great teammates in the NBA.
And for all his greatness, I’m not sure the same can be said of Durant. He’ll collect his ring after this series and likely find some new teammates. The Warriors will miss him only so much.
