Stephen Curry needs to be the guy without Durant out

Dec 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) gets a high five from guard Stephen Curry (30) before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant (35) gets a high five from guard Stephen Curry (30) before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Stephen Curry, the two-time MVP, now has to regain control of his team with Kevin Durant out indefinitely with an injury.

Kevin Durant has been the Warriors’ best player this season, but now the scene has changed with his left knee injury on Tuesday night against the Wizards.

Durant was the Warriors’ leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker and now he is out four-plus weeks and maybe until the regular season ends.

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This is the time for the reigning MVP Stephen Curry to step up and regain that form. Curry has been off and on this season and the Warriors need him now more than ever to go “Human Torch Mode” the rest of the season before Durant comes back.

In his last games games post Alll-Star break, Curry is averaging 25.8 points per game, five assists per game and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 42.1 percent from the field, including 29.4 percent from beyond the arc, significantly lower than his season average of 40 percent according to Basketball Reference.

Curry simply has to be better than his 42 percent field goal shooting and 29 percent shooting from behind the three point line for the Warriors to maintain their place atop of the Western Conference. It’s Curry’s time to remind the world why he was the first unanimous MVP last season.

He has to demand the ball more on offense and take those quick jack knife threes like he was last year. He needs to be put in more pick-and-roll situations because it forces the defense to choose: stay with the most dangerous shooter on the planet or stop the roll (or pop depending if Klay Thompson is setting the screen.) The pick-and-roll with Curry and Thompson forces the defense in a “pick your poison” situation. The reason Curry thrives in these pick-and-roll situations is because the defense gravitates toward him leaving at least one teammate open.

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Putting Curry off the ball on one of the wings plays right into the defense making it easier to grab, bump and knock Curry off any screen he might be coming around to take a shot. If he has the ball in his hands, he will be the attacker and able to get into rhythm with the ball in his hands rather than the ball is out of his hands.

Steph will be able to carry the responsibilities of the load and be the top dog once he has the ball in his hands more for pick-and-rolls and shot creating.