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Curry stayed silent for a moment and said softly:
"Boss, Derrick seems really sure he's going to win the MVP; it looks like he truly believes it."
Liam smiled:
"Isn't that a good thing? He's confident, and that's a good thing. Do you think he's just joking on purpose?"
"But..." Curry murmured twice, then said with some concern, "This is his third season! Isn't it too soon for him to set the MVP goal? If he can't do it, what will people say about him?"
Liam looked at Curry with a smile:
"It seems like your relationship with Derek is really good, and because of that, you're worried about him. But if he's not worried, why should you be?"
Curry scratched his head and sighed:
"I just don't want to see him get ridiculed by the crowd later on, but it doesn't seem like there's much I can do to help him..."
—Why help him? Liam said lightly.
"Eh? But he said he's going to win the MVP. Isn't that an excuse for others?" Curry wondered.
Liam looked directly into Curry's eyes and said slowly:
"Stephen, you're overthinking it. Since Derek said that, he must have enough confidence in himself. He believes he can do it, so he's announcing it. You don't have to overthink it."
Curry whispered:
"But there's never been such a young MVP in league history..."
Liam suddenly said:
"Stephen, are you a little jealous of Derek?"
Curry froze for a moment, then waved his hand, shook his head, and smiled:
"How is that possible, boss? It's not like you don't know my relationship with Derek."
Liam said with a deep voice:
"Of course I know your relationship, but I also know you better, Stephen. You must know that I have great expectations for you. The future of the Warriors depends largely on you. Your future is the Warriors' future."
Curry's expression became serious, and Liam continued:
"Last season, I was very happy with your performance. That's the level you should be at, and I'm hoping you can take another step forward. But this season, Stephen, have you noticed any changes in yourself?"
—What's changed? Curry asked.
Liam said:
"It seems like the edge in your game has disappeared a lot at once. The team has played more off-ball tactics and let Draymond handle some of the ball, but your ball-handling offense is still the most powerful weapon of the team, and you are still the engine of the Warriors. Without you, the Warriors can still be somewhat competitive, but they have no chance of reaching the highest level. You are the main reason the Warriors are the Warriors."
"But maybe it's because you're too humble, or maybe because the team tactics aren't like last season, where everything was completely driven by you. I feel like you're a little negative, and you seem to be playing a bit bored. Am I right, Stephen?"
Curry shook his head and said:
"No, boss, as long as I step on the court, I'll give it my all."
"Of course, I know that," Liam nodded in agreement with Curry's words. "But you definitely didn't have as much fun playing: in these few games, you've only made 3.2 three-pointers per game, but last season, you could make 4.8 three-pointers per game. How do you explain this?"
Curry hesitated for a moment and said:
"Boss, as you know, I gained a lot of weight over the summer, and I've been very effective at breaking to the basket and finishing layups, so I've taken fewer three-point shots... but that doesn't stop us from winning."
Liam sighed lightly:
"No, Stephen, we're still winning now, and Draymond, Klay, Jimmy, everyone seems to have played well. We look like a team with all soldiers, but that's only because the other teams don't know enough about us, so they have room to play. As the schedule deepens, if we stay in this current position, the others will study us more and more deeply, and they won't always be able to keep their current performance, except for Jimmy. His progress has been huge. But you're the biggest guarantee for the team's wins, Stephen. You have to play better than last season."
Curry wondered:
"But we just won against the Bulls, and they are a strong defensive team."
"The Bulls were really strong, but Thibodeau's tactics weren't right. Otherwise, we wouldn't have beaten the Bulls. In the end, we won the game with defense, and actually, our offense was contained," explained Liam.
He paused for a moment and continued:
"I know, you're trying to play more reasonably. You're deliberately suppressing your instincts, and I've noticed that there are a couple of times in each game when you don't shoot three-pointers, but instead play in the middle of the court. That's good, it helps the team flow better, but that's not you, Stephen. It's your three-point shooting range. When you feel like it's a good opportunity, you should never hesitate to shoot."
Curry stayed silent for a moment and said:
"Boss, I just want to lead the team's overall attack."
—Is it because of these reports? Liam pulled out a newspaper and placed it in front of Curry.
It was a copy of Sports Illustrated, and Liam turned to the sports cover, where one of the reports was titled "The Second Steve Nash: Stephen Curry's Transformation from Super Shooter to Better Point Guard."
—And this. Liam pulled out another newspaper.
It was the San Francisco Chronicle, and the headline of the front page sports section was even more eye-catching: "Stephen Nash + Chris Paul, Stephen Curry Will Be the Next Number 1 Point Guard."
Not only that, but other media outlets also praised Curry, especially for his overall offensive push for the Warriors, as if this was the perfect way to play Curry's game, and as long as he persisted, he would be the next best point guard, not the shooter who shot too many three-pointers last season.
Curry looked at the newspapers with a confused expression on his face:
"Boss, I think they're right. Point guards should be like Nash and Paul, but when I try to play reasonably like them, I feel a bit uncomfortable on the court..."
Liam chuckled:
"It's simple, because you're not them in the first place, you're unique, Stephen. Have you forgotten? You've always been a point guard in high school, your dad is Dell Curry, you have shooting blood in your veins. You've never been a traditional point guard. Be yourself, Stephen."
As Liam said, Curry's average three-point attempts and total shots per game had decreased a lot compared to last season, as he deliberately focused on driving the ball and used fewer three-point step-backs.
And a skill should be used more on the court to become lethal. In the last game against the Bulls, Curry missed a step-back three-pointer at the last moment. It wasn't just a simple inaccuracy; he didn't shoot a step-back three-pointer the entire game. How could he suddenly be accurate?
Just like in Liam's past life, after Durant arrived at the Warriors, Curry played much less with the ball and performed poorly in the playoffs against the Rockets. But after Durant got injured, Curry found his familiar offensive style and played the best second half of his career. Then he swept the Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Finals, took the team to the Finals, and scored 47 points in a single game under the extreme defense of the Raptors.
If Durant stays on the court, it will be difficult for Curry to get back into form. It's not that Durant's presence hinders Curry's game, but Curry must play at his own pace. Curry, who does what he wants, is the strongest Curry. That's why, in the 2020-2021 season, the Warriors' lineup was obviously weak, but Curry played better than in the 2015-2016 season.
After the rough start to the season, Kerr asked Curry to be himself again, and immediately showed explosive scoring power, 10 three-pointers in one game and 20 points in a single quarter, as easily as picking melons and vegetables.
The current Curry is somewhat restricted by public opinion, actively suppressing his instincts and playing reasonable basketball at a pace he doesn't enjoy. Although still very strong, it's not his strongest state.
In Liam's previous life, Curry had played a scoring position in college and only switched to point guard in his third year. After entering the league, he worked as Monta Ellis's younger brother for several years and had to focus on defense. He didn't have much ball possession, and the Warriors' management and coaching staff were in chaos at the time, which greatly hindered his growth.
But now, under Liam's guidance, Curry has not taken a detour. From the beginning of his first year, he has grown in the way that suits him best, and his potential has been maximized.
And now, the NBA is in the glow of the traditional era, "whoever wins the interior wins the world" is still people's creed. Curry's offensive environment is simpler than when he was at his peak. If he goes all out, no matter what kind of performance he shows, Liam won't be surprised. The current average of 25.4 points per game is already great, but it's not enough.
Curry nodded thoughtfully:
"Boss, you're right. This kind of play really isn't what I like. I prefer the feeling of being able to shoot whatever I want. I shouldn't imitate the way others play; I should just be myself."
From the start of the game, he has deliberately passed the ball many times, many of which have turned into assists, but also many of which have turned into turnovers. And whenever he hesitates, he will play uncomfortably.
Liam patted Curry on the shoulder:
"Take the scoring title, Stephen."
—Wow... Really? Curry froze.
"I said, let's go for the scoring title." Liam repeated.
"Scoring leader... Me?" Curry pointed to himself.
Liam nodded and said:
"Derrick said he's going to win the MVP, so why can't you win the scoring title? Dominate the regular season first, then the playoffs. That's your way, and it's the Warriors' way!"
End of this chapter
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