Nevius: Starter or not, Stephen Curry knows how to close for Warriors

In the lead-up to Games 4 and 5 in the Warriors’ just-concluded playoff series, it was almost always the first question for Steve Kerr:

When is Steph Curry going to return to the starting lineup?

It was fodder for talk radio. Sports blogs speculated and analyzed. National TV talking heads brought up the topic and offered Kerr their thoughts.

And now, following Wednesday night’s series-ending Game 5 win, with Curry safely back in the starting unit, we can look back at the whole kerfuffle and say what it meant.

Absolutely nothing.

The clinching game reminded us of the irrefutable and enduring truth of the NBA playoffs. Granted, there are games that are decided by lucky bounces. An unheralded sub may come in and make a miracle, game-winning shot.

But in the main, one thing holds true. In critical postseason games, with the outcome on the line, you put the ball in the hands of your true stars and ask them to win it.

With that in mind, ladies and gentlemen, we give you Steph Curry.

Game 5 was a slog — for both teams. With roughly a minute to go, Denver was trailing, but it was still a one-possession game. The Warriors were battling, but a win was anything but certain.

“For the first three quarters,” Kerr said afterward, “I thought maybe they had forgotten a little how to close out a series.”

And no wonder. It had been three years since they even made the playoffs. (A 2019 loss in the Finals was the last appearance.)

The core roster was demonstrably older. Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson had all been through injuries — some really serious.

And there have been those, in the snarky world of internet sports, who have tried to raise a ruckus by suggesting that Curry might be a great guy and swell product pitchman, but he never comes up big in the critical moments.

But it is going to be tough to make that case with the Game 5 tape available.

Curry had 20 points in the seesaw second half, including three straight threes in the third quarter.

But, as Green said on his podcast, “He got the three going, but then he said, forget the three. I am going to go to the hole every single time. And that put the game away.”

So to those who say Curry can’t close a game, Green replies, “Shut up. That don’t even make sense.”

Denver coach Michael Malone seemed to feel the same way.

Although he gave full credit to the Warriors, after the elimination game he sounded like someone trying to make the numbers add up.

“We outrebounded them (50-37),” he said. “We beat them in the paint (52 points to 40). We beat them on the break (13-5 fast-break points.)”

And they lost.

Obviously, it wasn’t just Curry. Malone noted they missed nine free throws. And Denver shot 21% (6-29) from three-point range. (Golden State was 13-31, five from Curry, for 42%.)

And even with transcendent big man Nokola Jokic leading the way (30 points, 19 rebounds, eight assists and two blocks) the Nuggets faltered on the boards. They had 14 offensive rebounds in the first half — zero in the second.

Meanwhile, with 15 points, Gary Payton II was the X-factor. There’s a reason he’s bounced around to so many teams, including the G-League. He couldn’t consistently hit threes. In Game 5, he made three of four.

There was also a quirky decision by the Kerr brain trust to go to a box-and-one defense, putting one guy on Jokic and letting the other four roam in a zone. Green said that switch discombobulated the Nuggets.

The Warriors also stopped fouling. After gifting Denver with 20 free throws in the first half, they only allowed nine the rest of the way.

Still, this is what the Warriors are going to face as they advance in the playoffs. They are still the “donut Dubs,” without a center. Teams are going to try to pound them on the boards and hurt them in the paint.

If the Grizzlies win Friday’s game against Minnesota, Golden State will travel to Memphis for a Sunday afternoon game against a physical, deep team.

If Minnesota wins Friday at home, Game 7 will be in Memphis. And if the Timberwolves win that, the Warriors will be the home team for the second round.

Regardless, Golden State is sure to be at a size disadvantage. They’ll likely need some more late big-game magic.

Like Wednesday, when, with just over a minute to go, Curry split a double-team for a contested drive over Jokic and a four-point lead. Then, with just over 50 seconds left, he drove through Aaron Gordan and double-teaming Monte Morris to float home a left-handed layup for an insurmountable 99-94 lead.

At that point, Curry pretended to make a pillow with his hands and lay his head on it. Night-night Denver, put your playoff hopes to bed.

Afterward, he was jokingly asked if this was the end of him as “the best sixth man ever.”

“At least I’ve got that on my resume,” he grinned.

Because as we now know, it doesn’t matter who starts. It’s who closes.

Contact C.W. Nevius at cw.nevius@pressdemocrat.com. Twitter: @cwnevius