Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry has been one of the NBA’s best players for the past seven years.
Every team that faces the Warriors plans around Curry and his skillset.
The two-time MVP has helped lead the franchise to three championships in four years from 2015-2018.
Last season was a shortened year for Curry, though, as a hand injury in October derailed his season.
He was only able to play in five games, averaging just 20.8 points per game.
With the COVID altered season, there was no rush for Curry to return back to the Warriors.
Along with this, the later-than-normal start for the 2020-21 season gives the star even more time to be at 100%.
Because of all this, Curry could be poised to have his greatest season in the league.
Here are three reasons to expect Curry to once again stand back at the top of the NBA’s point guards.
1. The Loss of Klay Thompson
When news struck of Klay Thompson’s injury, the season outlook for the Warriors grew grim.
During a workout in Southern California, Thompson suffered a torn right Achilles that is expected to put him out for the season.
“A lot of tears.”
Steph Curry describes his reaction to Klay Thompson’s recent injury pic.twitter.com/20DPSzNup6
— Chris Montano (@gswchris) November 24, 2020
For the Warriors, Thompson is a critical player on both offense and defense.
Without him, it is completely up to Curry to carry this team.
He will have to become a scoring machine, likely having to shoulder the load during most nights.
No Klay?@StephenCurry30 might pull up from anywhere next season 🎯 pic.twitter.com/sW26clePbW
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 20, 2020
It would be reasonable to expect that, if he shoots like normal, he will average above 30 PPG like he did in 2015-16.
He will need to for the Warriors to have any hope at the playoffs.
Knowing the type of player Curry is, he will understand this going into the season.
He is going to have to do everything in his power to step back up as one of the league’s best scorers.
Because of this, Curry could end up having one of the better seasons of his career.
It is also worth noting that the Warriors were given a $9 million injury exemption for Thompson.
This is money that may go towards a free agent signing or trade offer this offseason, giving Curry more help to replace his injured partner.
2. The Addition of James Wiseman
With the second overall pick in the draft, the Warriors took center James Wiseman.
James Wiseman gets picked No. 2 overall by the Warriors 🔥#NBADraft pic.twitter.com/3qbwDxdKgH
— ESPN (@espn) November 19, 2020
If he shapes into the dominant big man that he is projected to be, this would be a huge boost for the team.
Throughout his career, Curry hasn’t had a dominant center in the paint.
This has generally allowed teams to stick to him on the perimeter.
By Wiseman proving himself as a threat down low, it could open up more outside shots for Curry.
This could, in turn, lead to better scoring output.
3. Curry Coming Off Injury
Coming off an injury, it may seem like Curry wouldn’t be as sharp as normal.
Perhaps there would be some rust.
However, this could be something that plays in the point guard’s favor.
Curry only got a small taste of basketball in the past year; it should be expected that he is itching to get back on the court.
Knowing his work ethic, he will likely come into this season with a new level of motivation and excitement to play.
For an animated player such as Curry, this allows him to play freely.
He is at his best on the court when he is loose, showing just how much he loves the sport.
This is yet another reason why Curry could be looking at the best season of his career.
Of course, it will be a difficult task for him.
With the loss of Thompson, the team doesn’t really have any established threats that will draw the attention of defenses.
Anticipate seeing Curry have a steady dose of double-teams throughout the season.
However, as we have seen throughout his career, Curry has a reputation of being a deadly threat on offense that can single-handedly change the game.
Don’t be surprised if he takes this to another level this year.
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