Stephen Curry Breaks Steve Kerr’s Trust After Meltdown vs South Sudan

As far as the Olympics stint for Stephen Curry is concerned, it’s been a worrisome affair. He’s struggled beyond the arch, and from the field, in general. In his figurative absence on the court, King James and KD have been covering up, dominating every inch of the court. The Curry we saw in the exhibition games wasn’t seen in any Group C games so far, even today.

It brings us to a valid question – Is Curry’s magical hype dying? Why is he struggling to put up numbers?

Well, the answer lies in defense. Steph is more of an off-ball threat than what he was supposed to be. And it is working.

Teams have been playing an exhaustive defense on Steph. From double-teams to traps in the paint, the Chef has no room to breathe. Even when Curry manages to bring the ball up the floor, he is welcomed by a double-team on top of the key.

So far, the best team to have suffocated Steph on defense is South Sudan. Curry had 1 point by the end of the first half while leading the team in minutes played. He shot 1-9 from the field and struggled to drive to the basket whenever he had the chance. Safe to assume that the Sudanese did a great job of guarding Curry, finishing the game with 3 points and 4 assists.

On the other hand, Steve Kerr was eager to get Steph going, but at this point, it seems that Curry can only attempt the toughest shots. Things aren’t going well for Steph on the defensive end either. Playing the Sudanese, Curry couldn’t force his man against the basket, creating an open lane and breaking the zone defense. Regardless, Steph’s job as a threat off the ball has done wonders for Team USA.

The Serbians and the Sudanese were well aware of the impact of Steph’s impact. Puerto Rico is next up to deliver the same or this may just be Curry’s first big game in the Olympics. He has yet to play in his best form and the next matchup might just be it. Nikola Jokić and company easily sailed past Puerto Rico, as is expected from Team USA. But what’s the conclusion of Steph’s recent two performances?

Will Stephen Curry come off the bench in the next game?

Well, Coach Kerr seems to have his starting lineup glued to players like Steph, James, and Booker. Now, Curry’s threat off the ball is enough for the guys to create better opportunities. Their next victory will be the ticket to topping Group C. Steph should be back as chef with the group stage coming to an end. The game against South Sudan was a lesson for not only Steph but also the head coach that teams will primarily focus on the greatest shooter of all time.

It will be interesting to see Curry hopefully ball out in the next matchup as Team USA improves 2-0 in Group C. The Americans take on the Puerto Ricans on Saturday, which will mark the end of the group stage. What are your thoughts on Stephen Curry’s struggles? Do you think he will get back to his usual in the next one? Let us know in the comments.

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