The Golden State Warriors have relived their glory days without Kevin Durant, forced to return to their ball-sharing ways and the movement offense that once made them into an NBA darling.
The two-time defending champions looked to fire on all cylinders during a Game 1 win against the Portland Trail Blazers to start the Western Conference Finals, and Stephen Curry has seen just how fun it is when every player can be involved in the offensive flow:
“I mean, it’s fun,” said Curry, according to Ethan Strauss of The Athletic. “It’s when we’re at our best in terms of everybody feeling like they are a threat on the floor. I mean, honestly even when [Kevin Durant's] out there, he’s our safety valve in terms of we can end a possession that way, but we try to get to those looks and those patterns as much as we can. It just puts so much pressure on the defense. You can’t key in on one guy and even if you try to, somebody else is going to be open.”
The Warriors have used Durant as the de facto bucket-getter for most of the postseason, but they are now 2-0 without him, resorting to their old championship mettle and proven ways to inch closer to an NBA title.
Stephen Curry and backcourt mate Klay Thompson feasted with open looks during Tuesday's game, accounting for 12 of the 17 3-pointers the Warriors hit in a 116-94 win.
Coach Steve Kerr was even able to play every active player in this game, which was a welcome sign for those who sat for a large portion of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Houston Rockets.
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