The Golden State Warriors got a gut punch by losing Jimmy Butler for the rest of the season with an ACL tear. Now, there is really only one way the franchise can make a run for the playoffs and it has everything to do with Stephen Curry.
Even with Butler, it was an open question whether the Warriors had enough firepower to make a playoff run this season. We saw flashes of the team that went 23-8 after trading for Butler last season, but it was not consistent enough to truly believe this team could go toe-to-toe with the best teams in the Western Conference.
Warriors need Stephen Curry to be superhuman the rest of the season
Now without Butler, it seems like an absolute long shot that Golden State could do anything other than maybe squeak in as a Play-In team. That is a really tough reality to swallow, but as long as Curry is on the team, the Warriors will always have a chance.
The problem now is that the Warriors need Curry to be the superhero version of himself every single night, something that's just not realistic. Even when Curry was at his peak winning MVP trophies, he would still have the occasional off night. Now, at the age of 37, he will still have tough nights even though he remains one of the best players in basketball.
Earlier this season he put up back-to-back insane performances against the San Antonio Spurs. We know he has that in him, but to expect it on a nightly basis is just absurd.
That is why the Warriors have to find a way to get something in a trade before the deadline. Even if it is an underwhelming move like acquiring DeMar DeRozan from the Sacramento Kings, the Warriors have to flip the narrative a bit and try to get the momentum going back in the right direction.
Getting rid of Jonathan Kuminga feels like a must. The situation is just too distracting at this point and both sides need a fresh start.
All the Warriors need to do is give Curry a glimmer of a chance because we know that can be all he needs. If he can see a path to the Play-In, and if Golden State can at least get one seven-game series, who knows what could happen?
It's highly unlikely the team could make a serious run, but injuries happen and the Warriors do have championship DNA. They just have to get Curry to believe. If they can do that, then maybe a seemingly impossible goal could become a reality.