Golden State Warriors: Steph Curry has the weight of the world on his shoulders

After losing Kevin Durant to free agency and Klay Thompson to injury, the onus now falls on Stephen Curry to save the Golden State Warriors dynasty

Losing the best player in the world is not something any franchise can prepare for. However, considering when it has happened in the history of the league, there probably wasn’t a team better equipped to handle it than the Golden State Warriors.

However, it wasn’t just Kevin Durant – the NBA’s best player in the world – that the Warriors just lost. In addition to KD leaving in free agency, the Warriors also lost Andre Iguodala, DeMarcus Cousins, Shaun Livingston and Quinn Cook. Not to mention that the team will also be without Klay Thompson (torn ACL) for at least the first half of the season.

Which leaves the hopes and dreams of the Warriors on the shoulders of the one Stephen Curry. While Thompson recovers, the weight of the world will be felt by Curry who will have to keep the team afloat until help returns.

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Sure, he’ll have the assist of D’Angelo Russell and Draymond Green by his side, but neither will have to face the questions and blame should the Warriors struggle out of the gate or stub their toe a couple of weeks into the new season.

The responsibility to keep this machine going will fall on Curry, the one man that has been the true face of the franchise – even with Kevin Durant on the roster.

While it may sound like a tall task, let’s not act like Curry hasn’t done it time and time again. From leading a young Warriors team to the playoffs to the best regular season record in NBA history to historic moments in the Finals, Curry has delivered many times in a Warriors uniform.

But should he do it again this season, it will be with the weakest supporting cast that he’s had since the Warriors jumped onto the contender scene in the Western Conference.

If the Warriors are going to remain a true contender in the West and if they’re going to keep this dynasty afloat, Curry is going to need to have an MVP season. Barring injury, that’s also what will be expected of him as the opportunity has now opened up.

Many are already counting out the Warriors as a contender in the Western Conference even before the season has begun. Many are downplaying the impact that Russell can have on this team, or what type of effect a higher usage Draymond will bring.

While Steph might not have the luxury of having an off game or off week with thinner depth and no Durant on the roster, let’s not forget the player that Curry can be when he’s both engaged and given the opportunity to control the offense.

Curry is coming off a season in which he averaged 27 points and seven assists on 47 percent shooting from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range. Considering that he’s going to be asked to carry a bit more offensively, you can only imagine the season that he could be on the verge of having.

In the middle of his prime, Stephen Curry is still very much the player that the Warriors are going to need to stay afloat in the deep Western Conference. Curry has the ability and the resume to get the job done. But that won’t remove the pressure or make it any easier.

The weight of a dynasty is on the shoulders of Steph Curry, and it’s going to be interesting to see how he reacts under the circumstances.