SAN FRANCISCO – Six minutes and 46 seconds had passed before Steph Curry took his first shot Friday night against the Phoenix Suns, missing a 3-pointer that rolled around the rim before falling out. The optimist in Curry has always been one of his greatest strengths. On this night, Curry’s a realist after the Warriors’ 130-105 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

Going an entire first quarter where he takes one shot isn’t going to be enough. The Warriors going into halftime with Curry only having five shot attempts is always going to put them in an 11-point halftime deficit — or worse. 

“There’s an understanding of motion offense to try and use gravity at times,” Curry said in the Warriors locker room after the door. “You try and get on the ball at times. The defenses have kind of shifted a little bit more consistently to try and take away off-ball stuff. And it was a slow start tonight, which, that can’t happen. 

“It’s on me, it’s on all of us to try and figure out how to get the ball moving, create good shots and use all the threats we have in this room. It did not go as planned tonight. I don’t ever want to be in a situation where you get five shots in a half. That’s not good basketball.”

Curry’s first two points were a case of mano a mano, me vs. you – Curry was the winner. 

Those two points had nothing to do with him running around the court. Andrew Wiggins soared to grab a missed 3-point attempt by Royce O’Neale, dribbled down the floor and fed the rock to Curry at the top of the arc. 

With Bradley Beal right in his grill, Curry held the ball down low, faked it left, then faked it right before flying by Beal to his left and delivered a finger roll over Mason Plumlee. 

Does there need to be more of a sense of urgency to just get the ball in Curry’s hands and let him go? 

“It should have been that a little earlier,” Curry said. “But also, you know that there’s going to be attention on the ball. Try to go pick-and-roll, try to get in the seams, try to create looks off of that. Obviously, our struggle – that’s our, mine included – in the paint when we get an advantage trying to capitalize, to make teams have to honor that, that’s been a struggle.”

The Warriors are at the bottom of the NBA in finishing around the rim, in converting layups. On shots within four feet Friday night, the Warriors were 10 of 24. The Suns were 16 of 18. 

Curry’s comments on the Warriors’ offensive struggles are right in line with what he had to say about the upcoming Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline: Anything to win. He’s not going to disrupt, he’s not going to go above the team. But winning is all that matters. The sense of urgency is real.

The Warriors’ superstar isn’t the type to publicly make a problem. He also has created more headlines than usual this season, like calling the Warriors “mid” to close the 2024 calendar year. 

“That’s not for me to make those decisions,” Curry said when asked if he wants to see a trade happen. “I want to win, so whatever it means to do that.” 

Before the Warriors were blown out by 25 points against the Suns, Steve Kerr gave his most blunt assessment of his team. A team that he truly likes coaching. One he enjoys going to work with. Kerr also was a realist Friday night, even before the blowout loss. 

Kerr was asked if the Warriors have enough talent to be a playoff team. The coach gave a resounding yes. Then he recognized, in the same answer, who the Warriors are right now. 

A few hours later, to close a month where they entered it 16-16, went through it 8-8 and ended it at 24-24 overall, the Warriors went back to being .500. 

“We’re not in a position where we can just say, ‘No, we’re good. Let’s stand pat.’ That’s the reality of where we are,” Kerr said. “[Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy’s] doing his due diligence, doing his job. If there’s something that makes sense. He’s going to do it.” 

The day before, Kerr acknowledged talent wins out. This coming from a nine-time champion between being a player and coach who has emphasized the importance of culture and continuity. Kerr in that radio clip also alluded to Curry needing a second scoring option. 

Just 48 hours prior to Phoenix burning them on their home court, the Warriors were flying high. They had just taken down the Western Conference’s cream of the crop in the Oklahoma City Thunder, without Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga. On the flip side, OKC still doesn’t have Chet Holmgren, and Alex Caruso was injured 22 seconds into the game. 

In that feel-good win, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander dropped  52 points on the Warriors, including 21 in the first quarter and 31 in the first half. The Warriors got 18 points from Kevon Looney and 15 points out of Gary Payton II. Was that a replicable recipe to convince themselves they can make a run as is? 

Looney’s 18 points tied a career high he set on March 23, 2023. The eight free throws he made eclipsed his previous career high by two. Payton’s 15 points beat his previous season high by three points, and were the most he had scored since another 15-point night on Oct. 29, 2023, the third game of last season.

The NBA is a player-driven league. The superstars are conductors in disguise, they dictate the show and they usually get what they want. Some will speak loudly of their desires, unbothered by the effect it could have on the team. Curry isn’t part of that category. 

He knows his voice matters, and it’s being heard right now. 

“Y’all will never know about that,” Curry said, being questioned if he would ever apply more pressure to the front office to get him what he wants. “We have conversations all the time. I want to win. Again, that’s not my job. I’m not a coach, I’m not a GM, I’m not an owner. 

“It’s pretty clear where I stand on trying to make whatever necessary adjustments there are to win.” 

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