Is Stephen Curry Fully Fit For The 2016-17 NBA Season? Steve Kerr Reveals MVP's Health Woes Contributed to Golden State Warriors' Finals Loss to Cleveland Cavaliers
Golden State Warriors' head coach Steve Kerr recently admitted that Stephen Curry's health woes contributed to the team's loss to Cleveland Cavaliers in the last season's NBA finals. This revelation ignited questions whether the two-time MVP is fully fit for the 2016-17 NBA season.
Curry's Injury & The Warriors' Loss
Kerr told CSN Bay Area that Curry's injuries during the playoffs caused them to make some alterations on the Warriors' game plan in the last season's NBA finals. Although he refused to blame the 28-year-old NBA superstar for the team's loss, he admitted that Curry has a substandard performance during the series.
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The head coach disclosed that they made adjustments, particularly in play-calling and actions, after Curry's injuries during the playoffs. He, however, reiterated that the Warriors' loss to the Cavaliers is still all about "flow and rhythm and pace."
According to Fox Sports, Curry was out for almost two weeks last season after obtaining a sprained knee during the first round of their game against the Houston Rockets. After his return, the condition was compounded by elbow and ankle injuries.
Did The Warriors Hide Curry's Injury Struggles?
Kerr's recent statement prompted questions why the franchise did not disclose Curry's struggles during the NBA finals. Per Give Me Sport, both Curry and Kerr maintained before the series that the star point guard was fully fit to play.
But according to Kerr, they did not hide anything. He said that if there was a diagnosis, they would have informed everyone about it.
Kerr believed that it is how the reality of basketball world works and Curry was hit by injuries at the wrong time. He added that sometimes, it also takes a little bit of luck to win an NBA championship.
Curry is Still Great
Despite the confession that Curry's health woes affected the Warriors' game plans, Kerr said that the MVP remains a great player. He pointed out that the NBA community should not forget that Curry showcased some phenomenal performances during the playoffs.
Indeed, Curry made several historic game records last season. Uproxx reported that the point guard's best performance was during the Game 4 of the Western semifinals where they played against Portland Trail Blazers. The NBA superstar scored 40 points, which is the highest in the playoffs' history.
Is Curry Fully Fit For The Next Season?
Kerr expressed his optimism and confidence with Curry and the Warriors in the 2016-17 NBA season, especially that Kevin Durant recently joined the team.
Moreover, per Fastbreak, Curry remained silent about his health since the NBA season ended. It can be recalled that the point guard opted out of the U.S. Men's Basketball Team in the Rio 2016 Olympics to give his body enough time to heal before new season kicks off.
