The reigning champions Golden State Warriors, have struggled to find consistency this season. James Wiseman was disappointing, Jonathan Kuminga has alternated good games with bad, and Jordan Poole has yet to live up to that new contract.
The Warriors’ second unit has left a lot to be desired thus far. Clearly, losing their defensive catalysts in Gary Payton II, Juan Toscano-Anderson, and Otto Porter Jr. has taken a massive toll on their rotation.
So, now that Stephen Curry had to leave the game vs. the Indiana Pacers with a shoulder injury and could be looking at a spell on the sidelines, Stephen A. Smith predicts tough times ahead for the Dubs.
NBA News: Stephen A. Smith Says Warriors Are Done Without Stephen Curry
“I don’t think they can [stay relevant], to be quite honest with you,” Smith said. “When we’ve seen what we’ve seen so far this season, Steph Curry is head and shoulders the star of this team,and his level of play far exceeds that of any of his teammates.”
“He’s averaging 29.6 points on 43% shooting from three-point range this season. He’s been an absolute superstar, and everybody else has paled in comparison,” Smith continued. “I would say the focus would shift to Klay Thompson and what he’s capable of doing and, to a lesser degree, Jordan Poole and what he’s capable of doing. That’s the only thing that has a prayer of offsetting the absence of Steph Curry, and I don’t even think that’s gonna be good enough.”
Curry has been posting MVP-caliber numbers and is the heart and soul of the team, so it’s not like this is a hot take by any means. Hopefully, that injury won’t be all that serious and he’ll be back on the floor in no time.