When the injured Seth Curry needed to sit on the bench and watch alongside all people else as Kevin Durant obtained double- and even triple-teamed was a stark lesson in how different NBA groups may — and may — play the Nets when Curry is off the ground.
Curry’s successful return Friday night time underscored his significance over the remainder of the season. He drove that time residence with each level he scored within the Nets’ comeback win over the Path Blazers at Barclays Heart.
“Watching the previous couple of video games, the best way they’re guarding [Durant], sending two, three individuals at him irrespective of the place he’s on the ground,” was powerful, Curry stated. “It’s my job to step on the ground, be aggressive, knock down pictures. And like I stated, simply attempt to create area for him, make the sport simpler for him. Simply maintain the sport easy.
“You shouldn’t be capable to run two, three guys at a participant your complete recreation with out having to pay for it. We did a great job of profiting from it [Friday].”
Curry got here again Friday after sitting out the earlier three video games with a sore left ankle that he’ll seemingly be coping with all season. And when the Mavericks had been in Wednesday, they took full benefit of each Kyrie Irving, who’s unvaccinated and unavailable at residence, and Curry being sidelined.
Durant confronted fixed double-teams any time he obtained the ball throughout half courtroom, generally even getting blitzed by a 3rd defender. The consequence was a Nets loss as a pissed off Durant was held to 40.0 p.c taking pictures, his worst since Nov. 30.
In his return Friday, Curry ensured that didn’t occur once more.
Essentially the most correct lively 3-pointer shooter within the NBA, Curry’s gravity spaced the ground and made positive the Path Blazers couldn’t double Durant with impunity. And Curry punished them after they did.
In his most potent scoring efficiency as a Internet, Curry had a season-high 27 factors on 9-for-14 taking pictures, together with white-hot 7-for-11 from behind the arc.
“It was large … he had 27, 9-for-14, environment friendly from all angles on the ground,” Durant stated. “We would have liked that, and it was good to see him again on the market. Missed just a few video games with that ankle, however I’m glad it’s getting higher and he’s in a position to come out right here and play. And we would have liked all these factors.”
That very same may very well be stated ever because the Nets acquired Curry from Philadelphia on the Feb. 10 commerce deadline. His plus-50 since that time trails solely Durant and Irving on the Nets.
It’s unclear if Ben Simmons, the centerpiece of the cope with the 76ers, will go well with up in any respect within the common season. However Curry is averaging 16.8 factors with the Nets, and hitting 47.6 p.c from 3-point vary.
“He’s only a actually good NBA participant,” coach Steve Nash stated. “He’s an elite shooter who can rating off the bounce, can deal with in pick-and-roll, and has a excessive IQ. He provides loads to our group. Clearly, we would have liked all of his factors.”
Curry’s profession .4392 proportion from deep is third-best all time, and simply edges injured teammate Joe Harris (.4390) for the very best amongst all lively gamers. And that sort of elite ground spacing transforms the Nets’ offense when he performs.
With out Curry on the ground, the Nets entered Saturday with an offensive ranking (113.5) that was tied for seventh within the league and an efficient field-goal proportion (.533) that was tied for thirteenth. Their 119.3 and .567 marks with Curry enjoying had been each runaway leaders.
Curry is underneath contract for $8.6 million for subsequent season, and extension eligible, so it’s exhausting to overstate how essential he’s to the Nets proper now.
With Irving solely eligible for 3 extra video games this common season, retaining Curry on the ground is much more important. Although he has suffered ankle ache since earlier than his arrival in Brooklyn, and he logged 38 minutes on Friday, Curry insisted he can muddle by.
“I used to be coping with it in all probability a month earlier than the commerce. It’s been some time. It’s one thing I’m simply going to should handle and cope with till the offseason,” Curry stated. “It’s not one thing that’s going to go away. So so long as it’s not getting worse, I ought to be good.”
