Golden State Warriors: The Weight of History On Stephen Curry

Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) and center Tristan Thompson (13) defend during the third quarter in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 16, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) dribbles the ball as Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) and center Tristan Thompson (13) defend during the third quarter in game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Steph Curry has orchestrated a historical season with the Golden State Warriors, but he needs a classic performance in Game 7 to give the Warriors the perfect ending

Last year, ESPN famously declared Stephen Curry as “the future shaping Golden Boy.” It’s a moniker that he has lived up to ever since winning the MVP award in 2015 and becoming the most popular player in the NBA.

He’s led the way for the small ball style of play that has taken over the NBA and has quickly become one of the biggest crossover athletes in the world.

With one final game left to play in Oakland, fans of Golden State will be looking to Curry to put on a classic performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

However, the Cavs have done an amazing job of containing the two-time MVP in the series and it has raised questions about the Finals MVP award regardless of the outcome.

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His defensive play has been heavily scrutinized and has become a point of debate in discussing him as the best player in the world.

The fact that Curry has had an amazing season is undeniable, but he has far from made an impact on the series. While not solely responsible, his inability to take over has helped the Cavaliers claw their way back into the series despite being down 3-1.

For the Warriors, their potential to be a “dynasty” is now at stake. A loss in Game 7, after being ahead by two games, would be among the biggest let downs in NBA history. Fairly or otherwise, their dominance would also likely be called into question.

Steph Curry is now faced with the monumental task of keeping his team composed to outperform the Cavs in the final game of the season.

Reminder: no team in NBA Finals history has erased a 3-1 series deficit to win the championship. LeBron James and the Cavs would become the first team to do so should they win Game 7.

In a sense, he has spent the season preparing for this moment. Curry has been the maestro for one of the most memorable seasons in league history.

Just to recap:

  • He led the Warriors to the best start in NBA history.
  • He shattered his record for most three-pointers in a single season with 402.
  • He won the MVP award for the second time, becoming the first player to be voted #1 unanimously.
  • He led his team to the best record in NBA history with 73 victories.

For his final task, he must overcome the resilient LeBron James and the Cavaliers.

So far, the offensive threat of James and Kyrie Irving has been unstoppable since Game 5. The Cavs have also been superior on the defensive end due in large part to the efforts of Tristan Thompson.

The Warriors will have the work cut out for them. Andrew Bogut has been ruled out for the remainder of the series with a left knee injury. Andre Iguodala was also struggling with a lower back-strain in Game 6 and his condition is uncertain for Sunday. Although, he’ll probably play if he can walk.

Regardless, the stage is set for Curry to be the hero of Game 7. A string of jumpers and stops on the defensive end such as in Game 4 against the Thunder could well be enough to win the game in a close contest.

must read: Can You Bet Against LeBron In Game 7?

Every great story has drama, but now Steph Curry is down to one final night to write the last chapter in a historic season.