Getty Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry looks on before a bout with the Utah Jazz.
Although the Golden State Warriors‘ Sunday bout with the Jazz may have felt like a marquee matchup a month ago, the game we ended up getting lacked a certain pizzazz. Utah was without its star player Donovan Mitchell, who continues to be in concussion protocols. Meanwhile, Klay Thompson was out with knee soreness.
Nevertheless, the Warriors protected their home court, capturing a 94-92 win to keep themselves within three games of the league-leading Suns.
As has become all too common this season, Stephen Curry struggled in the win, hitting just 5-of-20 shots and going 1-for-13 from deep to finish with 13 points in 35 minutes. After the game, Steph was asked whether his recent hand issues may be playing a role in his continued downturn. However, the seven-time All-Star was having none of that.
“Who gives a damn about excuses,” Curry said. “You either make shots or miss shots. I’ve got to start making shots.”
Keeping Confident
Over his last two games, Curry has knocked down just 26.8% of his shots and 19.2% from deep. Along the way, Golden State has been outscored by 2.9 points per 100 possessions when he has been on the floor. However, he’s doing his best to ensure that the slumpage doesn’t affect his confidence as a shooter.
“Every shot I take, I think I’m going to make,” Curry said. “And unless it’s way off or there’s something off-balance… it’s a surprise when [I] don’t make it.”
Where the Utah game was concerned, he largely felt good about the shots he was taking. For him, it’s not so much about shot selection, but making whatever tweaks are necessary to see more of those attempts hit pay dirt.
“Tonight, I probably would only nitpick the last three I took. I took 12 good shots for me and I’m not worried about the selection as much as just figuring out what needs to change in terms of knocking them down and finding the joy in just shooting the ball. That’s always been a part of my game, so I’ve got to be better at that.”
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Dubs Coach Steve Kerr: ‘He’s Human’
Over the last decade or so, Curry has set an almost impossible standard to live up to. During the month of January, though, he has looked remarkably — and uncharacteristically — mediocre. Through 11 games this month, he’s averaging 20.8 points on 35.9% shooting overall and 29.9% from deep.
That stretch represents one of the longest periods of being less than amazing of his entire career. According to Warriors coach Steve Kerr, it serves as a reminder of what Curry is deep down.
“He’s human,” Kerr said. “He’s human. And what’s happening right now is he’s reminding everybody that he actually is human. He has seemed inhuman for so long. Everybody just expects him to be in a groove all season long, and it’s just not the way he works.”
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Warriors’ Steph Curry on Latest Dud: ‘Who Gives a Damn About Excuses’