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Stephen Curry's perpetual motion has long been a hallmark of Golden State Warriors basketball. Yet, there is a stark difference between witnessing his frantic dashes around screens on television and grasping the sheer physical contact he absorbs before attempting a shot.
Yaxel Lendeborg, a promising rookie for the Dubs, is discovering that reality firsthand in his initial weeks with the team. His perception of Curry has shifted dramatically since his days as a young Cleveland Cavaliers supporter.
"I mean honestly, besides all the moving stuff that he does, now that I'm watching it firsthand, like he's really getting grabbed and held every single play, like no freedom of movement," Lendeborg said during an appearance on The Kevin O'Connor Show. The rookie, now experiencing the cat-and-mouse drama up close, reflected on a major misconception about Curry's game.
"He's essentially getting away like he's getting chased around all day," Lendeborg continued. "So, that's where all that stamina comes from and all those practice reps of him just running around screens and looking crazy, but it's like it's really needed for him to be able to get the ball or get open looks."
While the constant movement demands extraordinary stamina, Curry also relies on a special routine to make everything click. "That's something I've understood right away, and then just his routine, because I know a lot of people say he's a superstitious guy, but I mean that kind of stuff really plays a big part in the mental side of the basketball game," Lendeborg added.
Lendeborg's stance on Curry has evolved significantly in a short time. After admitting he used to hate Curry while growing up as a Cavaliers fan, the rookie now stands up for his superstar teammate. Curry had a playful response to the confession after the Dubs drafted Lendeborg. "Let's go! Welcome to the Bay! I'm going to work hard to be your new favorite player," Curry wrote on Instagram.
Now, Lendeborg is highlighting how defenders grab and hold Curry away from the ball, explaining why the Warriors superstar must keep moving to find open looks. That's what perspective can do: a notable shift.
It might sound like a flex to say that defenders face guard a player, but it takes a toll. It went a bit overboard that defenders simply follow Stephen Curry everywhere on the court. Once, LeBron James jokingly followed Curry to the bench.
"It's not real basketball, but there's also a part of it that's flattering, just knowing that you demand that much attention," Curry said last season after a game against the Hornets. "And also what it does to create shots for other guys on the floor. And I've seen it all, so I know if that's how they want to guard, how I can be effective, not let it take me out of the game, but also use it to our advantage as a team?" The tactic can limit Curry's touches, but it also asks the Warriors' other players to punish the space left elsewhere.
That is where the Warriors' spacing becomes important. A player like Yaxel Lendeborg could exploit the spacing to his advantage, especially with his physicality near the rim. But it is too early to assume he will take over or that the Warriors will regularly use specific Curry-screen actions.
The bigger point is that Stephen Curry's movement is not simply spectacle. His defenders know the danger of allowing him an open look. So, he has to keep working to create even a small gap. That constant pursuit makes his conditioning and timing essential.
For Lendeborg, that lesson has arrived quickly. The player he once rooted against is now the teammate whose habits he is studying up close. His comments do not say that every possession against Curry is a foul. But they offer a rookie's view of the attention that Curry grabs on the floor.
Originally reported by yahoo.