Warriors’ Stephen Curry Fires Early Warning to NBA Rivals
An impressive overtime victory saw the Golden State Warriors overcome a tough Denver Nuggets roster on Thursday, Oct. 23. Steve Kerr’s team is now 2-0 to start the season.
During his postgame news conference,
“I mean, there’s 80 games left, so you kind of understand you don’t get too ahead of yourself,” Curry said. “But building blocks on an understanding of how to win, the selflessness of a team that can have eight or nine guys in a closing lineup, realistically. I was telling somebody I don’t think that closing lineup, Al, Jimmy, Draymond, JK, and myself had got any real rips in training camp.”
Curry continued.
“When you understand who you’re playing against and what it takes to win this particular game, collective IQ and just toughness got us over the hump. So, great start. Haven’t done anything yet. But we’re building a winning mentality.”
Steph Curry: “We’re building a winning mentality.” 💯
The Warriors have constructed a veteran rotation that is full of experience and championship know-how. Mike Dunleavy has also ensured there’s a decent sprinkling of young and emerging talent, too, as the Warriors looked to find the right balance.
Curry And Butler Still Competing At The Line
After the Warriors secured an opening-night win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Jimmy Butler revealed that he and Draymond Green had made a bet. The stipulation is that Butler will end the season with a higher free-throw percentage than Curry. Yet, against the Nuggets, Butler went 7-of-8 at the charity stripe, while Curry was 8-for-8.
“I can neither confirm nor deny anything that’s going on with the free-throw situation this year,” Curry joked after the game.
Regardless of whether Butler or Green wins the bet, the added internal compeition should drive the Warriors to continue being aggressive in drawing shooting fouls. And, throughout the season, that could be a wrinkle that ends up paying dividends.
Warriors Can Be Contenders This Season
Golden State’s winning start to the season will likely be encouraging for the fanbase. The Warriors are viewed as a potential candidate to challenge for the
We saw those credentials as Kerr’s team found another gear in overtime against the Nuggets. The Warriors have so much experience throughout their roster, so they understand how to navigate difficult situations on the court.
Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Joe Lacob did a great job of pinpointing and acquiring talent this summer. Al Horford already looks like a shrewd addition to the rotation, and Will Richard
Golden State has shooting, interior scoring and a reliable pressure-based defense. The foundations for success are in place. If the franchise can begin building championship habits early in the season, they should emerge as one of the better teams in the league before too long, and that should be a scary prospect for other rosters with hopes of competing for a championship this season.
Browns Coach Sends Strong Message on Deshaun Watson’s Role With QBs
Deshaun Watson has not sniffed the field this year, and may never put on a Cleveland Browns uniform ever again. But he is having an impact on their offense and rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, specifically.
Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees opened up about Watson’s impact on Gabriel’s development through his first NFL season, including his first NFL win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
Watson, of course, reinjured his Achilles tendon in January, which prompted the Browns to overhaul their quarterbacks room. Watson has been pushing to make a return, yet Gabriel has played well since taking over for Joe Flacco after the 40-year-old was traded to the
Deshaun Watson’s Relationship With Dillon Gabriel Has ‘Really Been Positive’
Watson may not seem like an ideal mentor for a 24-year-old based on his catastrophic fall from grace. But according to Rees, Watson’s presence has been beneficial on the first-time NFL starter.
“He goes out of his way to help him talk through some coverages, talk through things like that,” Rees said.
Whatever you want to say about Watson’s controversial, injury-marred tenure with the Browns, Watson sure could play the quarterback position when healthy. He made the Pro Bowl three times as a member of the
Plus, whatever Gabriel has gotten from Watson has worked. Gabriel has not yet thrown an interception in three starts, tossing three touchdowns while completing 72.2 percent of his 18 passes against the Dolphins in the rain Sunday.
Plus, whatever Rees is seeing has been backed up by coach Kevin Stefanski.
“He’s doing a great job at rehabbing, good job in meetings,” Stefanski said last week of Watson.
Deshaun Watson Is Unlikely To Play This Year — and May Never Suit Up For The Browns Again
This is the fourth of Watson’s fully guaranteed five-year, $235 million contract, which means fans who have been counting down the days until his contract expires are getting closer to freedom.
The Browns will owe Watson an appalling $80 million-plus in dead money if they release him after June 1, according to Over The Cap. Yet, if they also release him after June 1, that dead cap hit will be spread over his void years.
But with Gabriel on an entry-level contract of a third-round pick, plus Shedeur Sanders backing him up and Myles Garrett locked into a huge deal, the Browns could swing that deal to rid themselves of Watson’s stench — particularly since his contract is untradeable.
Or the Browns could decide simply to suck up Watson as the highest-paid backup quarterback in NFL history — even more so than Kirk Cousins with the Atlanta Falcons this year — then be rid of the Watson mistake rather than compounding it through the rest of the 2027 season.
Watson has only thrown for 3,365 yards, 19 touchdowns and 12 interceptions and 465 rushing yards and three scores in a Browns uniform. What’s worse is he’s only played 19 games for the Browns, mainly due to injuries and an 11-game suspension in 2022 for violating the NFL’s personal-conduct policy.
