In Hindsight, Stephen Curry Might Be NBA's Greatest Current Player

In hindsight, it might have been Stephen Curry that got George Karl, Brian Shaw and even Mark Jackson fired. He might be working on coach number four if Steve Kerr doesn't accept that this guy is not Steve Kerr- a dead eye shooter from NBA past.  Stephen Curry is not even Klay Thompson, another dead eye shooter who probably should have gotten the ball during last nights Globetrotter expedition that is burning up the airwaves and seemingly burning at the patience of Curry's coaches.

Did Curry's support of former coach Mark Jackson
put him at odds with management?

If you watch the video of the miraculous play, it is easy to see the impressive display of talent that Curry puts forth. What takes a little closer inspection is the expressions on the face of both the head coach and his main assistant, as well as the hand of #23,teammate Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.  On this play, Green and Thompson trail behind the Andrew Bogut pick (and roll) that freed Curry up so that Thompson can get an easier shot than Curry's, and Green can get the alternate play if defenders cheat out towards Thompson.

In the background of Curry's dazzling show, you can see Green pointing vigorously towards Thompson who is sliding into an open three-point attempt. Obviously, Curry can't see Green pointing from behind, but Curry knows the play just like everyone else on the team. The shot was for Thompson, and Curry took it upon himself to finish instead.  Every coach has these kind of, no, no, no- yes moments on the basketball court, but Kerr, and assistant coach Alvin Gentry, appear to be frustrated to high heavens with the kind of play we've come to know Curry for. Gentry doesn't even smile after the shot although Kerr gives a concession smile for the camera.

In hindsight, a lot of people thought Thompson could beat Curry in the All-Star weekend three-point shooting contest and in the role of leadership of the Golden State Warriors after coach Mark Jackson was fired from the team.  Had Thompson been competing with any other shooter he probably would have won, but on this night, Curry was shooting to make a statement.  Last night, Curry might have been making a similar statement when he didn't pass to Thompson, but who knows and who cares? Great players always make great plays even if they don't prove to be great team plays- but who cares about teamwork when watching sports highlights.  Sadly, Steve "pass me the ball Mike" Kerr and his high level assistant coach Al Gentry care, and it might just cost them a job. If they can't learn to comfortably digest spicy Curry, the Warriors will be forced to find a coach who has a palate for the flavor.

Stephen Curry is widely debated as the MVP of the league and potentially the best player as well.  The debate typically swings against him on the fact that jump shooters are never given such acclaim because no team has ever claimed a championship on the strength of the jump shot. Mark Jackson was totally at peace with the exploits of this legendary talent because he himself grew up in the streets of New York where somebody like Stephen Curry is not so miraculous a sight.  Even in the crazy streets of the Bay area where Golden State resides, there are guys who do the stuff of Steph', but very few ever make it to the NBA mostly because ain't no coach got time for all of that. Mark Jackson did have time and patience for Curry, and Warrior ownership didn't like it, but  secretly blamed Jackson's lack of acquiring a top assistant coach as the reason for his firing.

Every coach designs a system that they intend to win championships with.  Until you perfect a coaches system, they never feel comfortable with the teams prospects.  Steve Kerr has done a quality job in step one of hiring a top assistant and improving the Warrior's prospect of winning the crown, but Golden State is widely seen as the best regular season team who will likely shoot themselves right out of contention when it comes down to it.  Every time Curry jacks up another ill-advised shot during a game, Kerr hears echoes of doubt ringing in his hear from all of those people who expect Curry's heroics to be the death of the Warriors.  This list includes the Warrior management team.

In hindsight, despite his late fade in the playoffs two years ago, Curry was already too heroic for George Karl and the Nuggets to have a real chance at beating his team, but non-Warrior fans were the last to discover it.  Had Karl beaten Golden State and then lost in the next round, he would still be in Denver and the Nuggets would not have forced a big named rookie coach to try to replace Karl. Denver's preseason playoff declaration, minimal roster moves and intriguing rookie acquisitions proves that the Nuggets brass expected Brian Shaw to both win and to transition Karl's former team, all while learning to be a head coach.  In hindsight, top assistant Melvin Hunt probably could have been the easiest route towards keeping the best of George Karl while also trying the kind of tweaks that even Karl would have had to implement (i.e., playing young players more). Early coaching rumors in Denver included Hunt's name, but his lack of name recognition would have appeared to be a major reach for the Nuggets, whose firing of Karl was mostly a reaction to the unexplained exploits of  one of the games best players, Stephen Curry.

Over my many years of coaching, I have learned to suggest passes to my players, but to also shut up and root for the ball whenever they choose to throw it at the rim. If I don't like a shot, my alternative suggestion always comes via a quiet whisper in the ear of the player who shot it, because the biggest challenge in the game of basketball is developing the kind of players who never fear failure.  In other words, courageous athletes are not as plentiful as one might expect.  Even the greatest of the greats have those moments when they would rather defer to other players down the stretch of close games instead of being the one to take and miss the shot themselves (sorry Lebron).  Curry is far from that player, and in the grand scheme of basketball karma, he is clearly the kind of player you would rather have on your team since there is no technique to stop supreme confidence.

What Kerr is guilty of on this play is not rooting for the ball and disrupting the karma of his own player.  No player, even an over shooting hot-dog, plans to miss when they attempt a shot.  Their best hope is the same as every fan of the team, so coaches who forget to support the intentions of their own players eventually come to a moment of decision.  Is it going to be the players way or mine? Rick Carlisle had this moment with newly acquired Rajon Rondo and Kerr will soon have his with Curry if he doesn't have an attitude adjustment.  In the NBA, these are the type of struggles that eventually reach the desk of ownership, who will always side with the best player on the planet.  Like it or not, even Warriors management must recognize that they probably have that player in house...and its not Klay Thompson.

Is there anything Stephen Curry can't do on the basketball court?

WHAT TO DO 
WITH STEPH'? 

Schematically, you have to force Curry to shoot the short jump shot and not the floater or the three-point shot.  Mentally, he is of a generation that doesn't understand the short jumper, its lack of artistic flair and its diminished point value, so they don't practice it like we did back in the day.  If you back up in fear of his drive, he will find that deep soft spot in your defense and kill you for the mistake (which is what happened on the amazing play).  If you get too close on his jumper and are forced to chase him down when he drives, then you will watch him loft a soft release right over the top of your embarrassed big man. Either way, your best hope is praying that his shot is not as hot as usual, especially at the end of a game.

In hindsight, your best bet might be a prayer that the Warrior coaches get their way and Steph' gets forced to run the system instead of be the system, because the Warrior coaches are the only people on the planet who look like they don't expect him to make every shot. As fans of basketball, the problem we face with trying so hard to uncover the leagues next best player is that we don't always recognize them until its too obvious to deny anymore.

Postscript:

In hindsight, Russell Westbrook should probably be Batman and Durant his Robin.