KD concedes that it’s Steph Curry’s team

Stephen Curry is still the Golden State Warriors’ leader, despite his relatively slow start. Kevin Durant called Curry the “head of the snake.”

When Kevin Durant announced his decision to sign with the Golden State Warriors, he was joining a team with a clear identity. They were a 73 win team with an undisputed leader. Durant, the 2014 NBA MVP, joined a team with a two-time MVP.

The Warriors handed Stephen Curry the franchise when they traded away Monta Ellis years ago. He has led them to the promised land. Once upon a time, winning a game was a surprise. Now, winning championships is the expectation.

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Despite his Hall of Fame talent, fitting Durant in wouldn’t be easy. While both he and Curry are relatively selfless guys that want to put winning over individual accolades, there was still going to be a struggle. They’re both alphas.

Curry got off to a (relatively) slow start. Durant quickly become an MVP candidate. Many, such as yours truly, believed that the league’s first unanimous MVP was now taking a backseat to Durant as this team’s alpha.

However, it’s never smart to count Curry out. Our own Derek Tahara wrote his own piece about how the superstar point guard is still the team’s top dog (click here). He won Player of the Week lat week and has been looking like his MVP-self.

Steve Kerr is putting the ball back in Curry’s hands. He’s simplifying the game and going back to what won them a championship and 73 games. They’re running more pick-and-rolls and Curry is firing at will.

The team, at minimum, is a lot more enjoyable to watch when Curry is working his magic. They also seem to function better. He opens up a lot of space and provides countless opportunities for Durant and Klay Thompson.

While the question has been “whose team is it?” since Durant joined, he might have provided an answer. Curry, Durant, and Thompson each scored at least 20 points in their big win against the Detroit Pistons. The Warriors are undefeated when all three of them reach that mark.

After the game, Durant talked about Curry’s role as their catalyst.

Durant called Curry the “head of the snake.” Now, we can ignore the hilarious Twitter implications of KD referring to the Warriors’ machine as a “snake.”

It seems as if Durant is also realizing how well the Warriors work when Curry takes charge. He understands that, despite his superior play, it’s Curry’s team. The team is at its best when the superstar point guard gets going.

When the Warriors let a 24 point lead over the Memphis Grizzlies slip away, there was an odd moment at the end of that game. Curry and Durant basically took turns trying to end the game and the newcomer even asked for the ball before settling for a horrible shot. That sparked a lot of questions about the team’s power struggles.

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Durant is clearing that up. He could lead the team in every statistical category, but it’s Curry’s team. He makes them go. This is a comforting development that shows where everyone’s head is at.

The Warriors got better by adding Durant. They also are a team trying to work out rotations, sets, and late-game scenarios. They’re a work in progress, but their identity is becoming more and more clear.

Golden State is a team with a mostly defined style of play. It needs tweaking, but their offense is almost there. They’re also a championship contender with a leader that everyone else is rallying behind: Steph Curry.