Mark WiedmerWith the NBA's Western Conference finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Portland Trail Blazers set to begin Tuesday night in Oakland, California, a message would seem in order for all those internet losers who have been bashing Golden State guard Stephen Curry for not always being his deadly self from the 3-point line of late: Keep it up.
Keep bashing the best long-range shooter in NBA history while he and fellow guard Klay Thompson keep splashing 3-pointer after 3-pointer in the faces of opponents determined to stop them as the Warriors continue their quest for a third straight NBA title (and fourth in five years).
Keep saying he's overrated or past his prime or lucky to have Kevin Durant as a teammate, at least when Durant isn't sitting out a game due to injury, as he did in the fourth quarter of Wednesday's Game 5 win over Houston and throughout the Dubs' series-clinching win Friday in Game 6.
One moment to consider from Friday night's fourth quarter against the Rockets, the Warriors - mostly because of Curry - having already turned a seven-point deficit into a two-point lead: With Houston point guard Chris Paul aggressively covering Curry wherever he moved on the court, Paul made the mistake of briefly turning his head away from the rascally Warrior for maybe half a second near the right sideline, about 26 feet from the goal.
Curry broke toward the baseline at that moment, at which time the underappreciated Draymond Green passed him the ball, then watched Curry swish a 3-pointer with a little more than three minutes on the clock to put the Warriors up five on their way to advancing to the conference title round.
Two nights after scoring 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter without the presence of Durant, Curry scored 23 in the final period - and all 33 of his points in the second half.
"A night like tonight doesn't happen without belief in myself," Curry said afterward.
Tweeted the recently retired Dwyane Wade, as good a clutch player as there has ever been in the postseason: "Y'all better stop disrespecting @StephenCurry30 just because he's a team first guy and is willing to sacrifice in moments doesn't mean he's not still a beast."
Added Warriors coach Steve Kerr regarding Curry's occasionally sloppy play in the Houston series: "You realize he's so good, you just have to leave him alone. He's going to counteract the few crazy plays he makes with an incredible number of good ones and clutch ones."
Clutch ones. That was the whole Warriors team when it mattered most. Everyone from Kevon Looney coming off the bench to score in close, defend everywhere and rebound as if he was channeling his inner Dennis Rodman, to Jonas Jerebko hitting clutch 3-pointers, to Jordan Bell providing energy and Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala giving the kind of seamless play when it mattered most that the best veterans almost always do.
Another Kerr quote regarding these Warriors' ability to win, at least against the Rockets, without Durant: "The one good thing here is that we do have experience from before Kevin was here with Steph, Klay, Draymond, Andre, Shaun, our core guys. So we've been successful. That's not to say it's the same. That was a few years ago. But we're comfortable that we can be successful with that group."
And because of that, the other remaining three teams in these NBA playoffs have to be a bit uncomfortable where the reigning champs are concerned.
That's not to say the preposterously talented Portland backcourt of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum can't knock off these Warriors, especially if Durant doesn't see the court for another seven to 10 days. And in the Eastern Conference, either the Milwaukee Bucks or the Toronto Raptors would have the size and talent to do Golden State in.
In fact, both Toronto's Kawhi Leonard - who hit the bouncing buzzer-beater that knocked out the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 on Sunday night - and Milwaukee's Greek Freak (Giannis Antetokounmpo) will make Curry no better than the second-best player on the court should Golden State reach the NBA Finals with Durant still on the mend.
But let's say Durant returns at some point with the same production level that made him the most consistent and feared player this postseason, when he has averaged more than 34 points per game. Given the confidence gained by his teammates in his absence, does anyone seriously doubt Golden State's chances at a three-peat?
"They're champions," Kerr said of his team late Friday night. "And I think there's an advantage to have championship experience and to have rings on your fingers. You know, this group will never be doubted. This group has nothing to prove. So there's a freedom that comes with that."
Playing as they did Friday night in eliminating Houston, there may also be a third straight championship that comes with that, especially if Durant's back by the third game of the Western Conference finals. And even without him, there's clearly an advantage to already having rings on your fingers.
Especially when one of those guys is the Fourth Quarter Freak also known as Steph Curry.
Contact Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com.