Curry coming off the bench in play-offs draws Duncan comparisons originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Steph Curry missed the last 12 games of the warriors‘ regular season schedule due to a foot injury he sustained against Boston on March 16, which cast doubt on his status for the early part of the playoffs.
In fact, it was on the morning of April 16, when the Warriors were set to open their playoff run against the Denver Nuggets†
Curry adapted that night, but in a surprising way, entering the bank and giving up his starting place to Jordan Poole†
“I gave him a pick because he was limited to 20 minutes in the first game,” said Steve Kerr Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner on Friday’s episode of the podcast Point Forward. “I told him this is how the minutes would go for you when you started versus when you got off the couch. Typical Steph, he said, ‘No, it sounds much better getting off the couch. must be too long between my minutes.’
“It never even came into the equation that this would be a blow to his ego or anything like that.”
Curry’s selflessness sent a clear message to the rest of the Warriors.
“You know how Draymond… [Green] says it’s a pecking order, right? And it all starts with [Steph]’ said teammate Andre Iguodala of the Warriors’ locker room. “And it was a little message that said, ‘Okay guys, I’m off the couch. I’m just letting you know this is what we need to do to win. If you have to get off the couch, you have to get off the couch.’ I just loved him for that.
“Steph gets it. And that’s something people don’t recognize about him. He’s really for the team.’
Iguodala has played alongside Hall of Fame talent throughout his 18 seasons in the NBA. When summarizing how important Curry’s gesture to Golden State was, it reminded him of Tim Duncan’s response to one of the most infamous comments made at a press conference of all time.
“Remember, Allen Iverson said, ‘I’m a starter and I’m not getting off the couch.’ … What did [San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg] Will Popovich do next time the Spurs played after Allen Iverson made those comments? He got Tim Duncan off the couch. Nobody remembers that.”
RELATED: Why Steph is in front of Kobe, behind Magic on Russillo’s list
Duncan, like Curry, had no control over the situation. It’s no surprise that both players are considered two of the best teammates among superstars in NBA history.