Curry’s bench stint is over, but it exemplified his team-first ‘healthy ego’
Warriors star Curry returned to starting lineup to finish off Nuggets,
will stay there for Game 1 vs. Grizzlies
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 16: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen
Curry (30) and Draymond Green (23) fist pump at the conclusion of the
national anthem before Game 1 of their NBA first round playoff series
against the Denver Nuggets at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on
Saturday, April 16, 2022. At left is Golden State Warriors coach Bruce
Fraser and Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins, right. (Ray Chavez/Bay
Area News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 16: Golden State Warriors’ Stephen
Curry (30) and Draymond Green (23) fist pump at the conclusion of the
national anthem before Game 1 of their NBA first round playoff series
against the Denver Nuggets at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on
Saturday, April 16, 2022. At left is Golden State Warriors coach Bruce
Fraser and Golden State Warriors’ Andrew Wiggins, right. (Ray Chavez/Bay
Area News Group)
By MADELINE KENNEY | mkenney@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: May 1, 2022 at 5:45 a.m. | UPDATED: May 1, 2022 at 5:45 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/05/01/currys-bench-stint-is-over-but-it-exemplified-his-team-first-healthy-ego/

SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry sat on the bench in sweats, his leg
bouncing with eagerness at the beginning of the first quarter last week
as he waited for his number to be called.

It’s a rather unusual image to picture. Before this month, Curry, a
three-time champion, two-time league MVP and eight-time All-Star, had
never come off the bench in consecutive playoff games, nor had he ever
done so in more than three games in a single regular season.

But Curry opted to be the sixth man off the bench for most of the
first-round series against the Denver Nuggets because he thought it was
best for the team and himself, solving a difficult equation for coach
Steve Kerr. And that decision was another reminder of how unique Curry
is, with his self-effacing personality and team-focused pursuit of
winning, coupled with on-court flash – from his clutch scoring to his
shimmying performances.

“Humble off the floor, arrogant on the floor” is how Kerr describes
Curry. “It’s a great combination and anything that is going to help the
team, he’s all for.”

With Curry ready to return, Kerr was staring down a difficult decision
as the playoffs began: The Warriors had won their last five
regular-season games and the starting group of Jordan Poole, Klay
Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney was in a great
rhythm. So who would sit if Curry started?

The star guard’s move to the bench allowed the Warriors to push off the
question and keep rolling with a confident group.

Curry has been this way his entire NBA career. He didn’t make it about
himself when the Warriors made five straight trips to the NBA Finals.
He’s had no trouble ceding the role of emotional leader to the fiery
Green, who was just a rookie when this Warriors era of success began.
And he didn’t mind sharing the spotlight with Kevin Durant, despite
being called soft for welcoming another superstar to the team.

“He’s on a pedestal on his own to be honest with you,” former teammate
Andrew Bogut said. “I know for a fact there’s a lot of stars that
wouldn’t allow other stars into their fold to lose some of that
limelight or shine.”

Or money.

The addition of Durant meant Curry and sponsor Under Armour had to share
the Bay Area market, which they had all to themselves in previous years,
with Durant, a Nike athlete and former MVP in his own right. Curry not
only had to share the local stage but also the global interest in the
team with Durant, the highest-profile teammate he’s ever had.

It wasn’t just money, though: He was willing to allow a sizable new
presence into a Golden State locker room celebrated for its culture. The
Warriors also made significant changes to their style of on-court play
to welcome the ultra-talented Durant.

There have been other instances of stars welcoming one another: Dwyane
Wade’s Miami Heat with LeBron James, for example. But never has a team
as successful as the 2016 Warriors, the best regular-season team ever
before falling in the NBA Finals, added such a star.

It paid off with two titles and three Finals trips during Durant’s tenure.

After completing a four-game sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the
2018 NBA Championship, Golden State Warriors’ Kevin Durant, Draymond
Green and Stephen Curry exit their plane as they arrive back in Oakland,
Calif., on Saturday, June 9, 2018. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
Off the court, Curry doesn’t exude the persona of a stereotypical
world-renowned athlete. He’s long been seen around Warriors games joking
with arena employees and sharing special handshakes with his children.
He seems at ease interacting with fans.

Zaza Pachulia played 16 seasons in the NBA with six organizations,
including two years with the Warriors. He said he’s never had a teammate
quite like Curry.

“I was able to play in this league for a good amount of time… and
obviously played with a good amount of superstars literally every year
and I was lucky to have really, really amazing teammates honestly since
Day One, but Steph definitely stands out,” Pachulia said. “It’s not
something I’m [just] telling you… I mean, his reputation is really, you
know, one of the nicest guys.”

Warriors owner Joe Lacob theorized why Curry is so popular beyond his
basketball prowess:

“Because people can relate to Steph Curry. Most people can relate and
say this is like a normal person, and yet he can be that incredible
force on the court.”

Curry’s latest display of selflessness, coming off the bench against
Denver, was born from a foot injury that had kept him out for a month
before the playoffs.

Curry did benefit from the move in a way: Entering the game later meant
he could stick to his trainer-imposed minutes restriction without long
lulls on the bench.

Lacob called Curry’s decision to not start an “amazing statement of
leadership.” And other Warriors also praised Curry.

“Steph is incredibly unselfish and might be the most humble superstar
there ever was. That’s what makes him so great,” Klay Thompson said.
“He’s very comfortable without boasting about his success but he puts in
so much work to get to where he is and it’s a trickle-down effect that
inspires all of us.”

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Curry doesn’t have to prove anything at this point, so whether he
started didn’t bother him too much, though he set an example for others
to ensure their priorities are straight.

“If you’re worried about anything other than trying to win a game, then
you’re approaching it wrong to begin with,” he said. “We all have egos,
and we all have — I like to say healthy egos in terms of believing in
ourselves and confidence, understanding that you want to be a starter,
you want to have that title in this league and continue to build on that
but at the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter. Just can you be
ready to play when your number’s called.”

Curry might be the greatest player to come off the bench in a playoff
series, averaging 27.5 points in the four games he didn’t start. He
scored a whopping 34 points while playing just shy of 23 minutes in Game
2, making him the first player in the shot clock era to score as many as
30 points in 23 or fewer minutes in the playoffs.

After a Game 4 loss, the Warriors and Curry knew they would benefit
greatly from slamming the door on Denver in a home Game 5 and getting a
bit of rest before their next series. By joint decision with the
Warriors, Curry came back into the starting lineup, and they finished
off the series. He’ll stay in that starting spot when they open the
second round Sunday against Memphis.

Curry is hoping that he’ll never have to be in a position where he has
to come off the bench again.

Only an injury would keep him from starting, he said.

“So I hope not.”

--
Madeline Kenney | Warriors reporter