Golden State Warriors: Kevin Durant shining while Stephen Curry falters
By Tony Pesta
Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors has been on fire while the two-time MVP, Stephen Curry, is beginning to falter.
Ever since Kevin Durant shamefully fouled out of Game 2 versus the Los Angeles Clippers after blowing an NBA record 31-point lead, he has been on a mission to remind the world who he is. The Golden State Warriors have been riding on top of the wave of success Durant is creating. Meanwhile, Stephen Curry is falling further below the water.
In the last six games the Warriors have played, Durant has been nothing short of phenomenal. He is averaging 38.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocks per game. Even better, he is shooting 52.4 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from beyond the arc.
During this stretch, Durant put up a playoff career-high 50 points as well as another dominant 45 point performance versus the Clippers. The Dubs have gone 5-1 over the course of this streak from Durant and are looking to take a 3-0 lead over the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
In contrast, Curry has been struggling mightily since Game 2 versus the Clippers. Curry began the postseason averaging 33.5 points on 55.9 percent shooting through the first two games. Since then, Curry has put up just 19.8 points on 43.9 percent shooting from the floor and 35.4 percent shooting from deep.
These numbers are solid for an average star in the league, but far from what we have come to expect from the former unanimous MVP. Curry has, of course, played with a few nagging injuries, his ankle and a dislocated finger being the two most notable.
Luckily, the Dubs have Durant to patch up the holes in the ship as Curry attempts to find his rhythm again. KD has once again proven why he is so important to this team. Durant is a “Get out of jail free card” for the Dubs, consistently bailing them out of tough situations.