Last night, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler partnered up for a clinical victory over the Bucks. It was a much-needed victory, especially coming off an embarrassing loss against the Nuggets. A lot went wrong against the Mile-High City team and Stephen Curry took the brunt of the blame. In reaction, Steve Kerr benched him amidst the duo’s contradictory statements. Nevertheless, DrayMagic, who stepped into the ease the tension, earned massive praise from the coach.
It was the first game for the Warriors without Steph in the Butler era. Mind you, it was a convincing victory. Despite a slip-up in the third quarter, the team dominated the Bucks with a 104-93 win. Jimmy Buckets did exactly what he told, displaying his offensive efforts when it was time, dropping 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists. On the other hand, Green took over the defensive court.
Giannis Antetokounmpo struggled to hit the bucket whenever Draymond Green was on him. Speaking of Green’s defensive efforts, Coach Steve Kerr said, “He is the best defender I have ever seen.“ In the last two games, the former DPOY has managed to record 16 rebounds, 9 blocks, and 5 steals. Truly a remarkable feat. In addition, Kerr said, “The speed and recovery of Draymond is just stunning and the brain it goes with it…. he is one of the great defenders of all time and he is still doing it on a high level.”
Well, it indeed seemed like the Warriors played with two leaders on the floor, one for the offensive end and the other defensive. Moreover, impressed with the team’s efforts, Kerr also made an important statement, saying, “I think it was a good game for us to play without Steph because it sort of forces the rest of the team to play the game without him.“ Before you think that there is a rift between Stephen Curry and Kerr, let’s clear it up.
In Stephen Curry’s absence, Kerr found the Dubs’ new voice
Stephen Curry wasn’t really at his best in the loss against a short-handed Nuggets. He went 6-21 from the field and conceded a ton of turnovers. Well, even the greats have bad days. Realizing the load on the superstar’s shoulder, Kerr said, “He’s tired… We’ve gotta absolutely consider giving him a night and getting him rejuvenated for the sake of him and the remainder of our games.”
Mar 1, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
However, on the other hand, Curry wasn’t ready to acknowledge it and instead, put the blame on himself. He added, “I feel fine. Obviously, I didn’t play great at all so everybody, including the coach, is gonna try to figure out why. Mostly the turnovers, dumb plays all night. You expect to have a level of consistency and whatnot, so when it doesn’t happen, it becomes a question.” It certainly didn’t align with Kerr’s take on Steph’s poor night.
Nevertheless, amid this contradiction, Green jumped in and solved it, saying, “It’s game 68. I think we are all tired. That’s the reality of the NBA.” Nuff said. Anyway, you might wonder about Kerr’s latest statement. The 9x Champ felt it was a good game without Steph because it enabled the rest of the players to play only through Jimmy Butler’s orchestration, something that the team hasn’t experienced since the veteran’s inclusion.
Will Stephen Curry get into his groove in the upcoming game against the Raptors? Let us know in the comments.
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