Very few can argue that the Golden State Warriors dynasty has yet to come to an end. Perhaps even the most faithful of Dubs supporters would admit that at best, their team's perpetual dominance in the league has been put on hold following what has turned out to be a miserable past few months for Golden State.
With Kevin Durant gone, Klay Thompson looking at a lengthy (season-long, possibly) spell on the sidelines due to injury, and with question marks on how new recruit D'Angelo Russell will fit in with the Warriors' system, the immediate future is not looking very bright for a team that has absolutely dominated the league in the past five seasons.
Nonetheless, one important thing — perhaps the most significant one — remains: Stephen Curry is still a Warrior. And with one of, if not the best shooters of all-time — in his prime — still leading the charge for the Dubs, then surely, nobody should count them out.
It's going to be a tough season ahead for Curry, but we believe that like all the greats that have come before him, the very best of them shine when the lights are the brightest. This is exactly what we believe the six-time All-Star will accomplish in what should be another historic season.
Here are three way-too-early predictions on how this upcoming campaign will pan out for Steph.
3. Scoring King
With Curry being the absolute focal point of the Warriors offense, he will have a legitimate shot at leading the league in scoring.
In the 2015-16 season, the former seventh overall pick achieved this very same feat after averaging a league-leading 30.1 points per ballgame, en route to bringing home the scoring title at the end of an unforgettable season.
Let's not forget, however, that during this same year, Klay Thompson averaged 22.1 points per contest. As mentioned previously, the other half of the Splash Brothers is not expected to figure significantly in the Warriors plans next season, leaving a significant chunk of the scoring load on Curry's shoulders.
Russell (21.1 points per game last season) will be the team's second option on offense, but he will still need some getting used to, so expect Curry to come out of the gates scorching hot.
2. Carrying the Dubs to the Playoffs
With how the landscape of the NBA has shifted so tremendously this offseason, the Warriors are considered to be one of the losers of what was, simply put, a crazy summer.
While Golden State did make some noteworthy moves themselves, there's just no way you can come out as a winner after losing one of the Top 5 best players in the game today in Kevin Durant.
With all this in perspective, many believe that the Warriors will struggle to secure a playoff spot in a ruthless Western Conference. Well, Curry might have a thing or two to say about that.
It will take a gargantuan effort from Steph to carry his side for the majority of the season, but this is certainly not a far-fetched assumption. So long as the Warriors remain in contention, a potential Thompson return in the tail end of the regular season might just be the boost the team will need to make a final push for a spot in the postseason.
A seventh or an eighth seed is a realistic goal for the Dubs, and come playoffs time, the team's championship-caliber experience (and Curry's unmatched firepower, of course) might just prove to be the edge they need to give a first or second seed a run for their money in the first round.
1. Three-Time Most Valuable Player Winner
Finally, we are predicting that successfully achieving the two objectives outlined above should be enough to land Curry the third Most Valuable Player trophy in his career.
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is still the front-runner to notch back-to-back MVP title wins — a feat previously accomplished by Curry no less than three years ago — but if the Dubs man is somehow able to lead the league in scoring while also carrying his team to the playoffs, then perhaps, he should be able to overtake Giannis in the race.
Again, this is not going to be a walk in the park for Curry and the Warriors. Head coach Steve Kerr will also have his role to play in managing his superstar's minutes, with Curry expected to put the Warriors on his back for the upcoming season. The last thing anyone would want to see would be Curry pushing too hard, resulting in another long-term injury.
However, if Steph is able to get through the hurdles, then there is no doubt that we are all in store for what should be an amazing return of the 2015/16 Steph Curry.
Wouldn't that be quite a treat in itself?
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