Shaun Livingston, a former point guard for the Warriors, recently discussed his time playing for one of the greatest basketball franchises in history on a Knuckleheads Podcast. Livingston claimed that Durant’s entrance represented a significant shift for the team, with Stephen Curry having to adapt the most. Both the stars have just won an Olympic gold medal together.
Livingston, a three-time champion, was a part of the Warriors’ greatest run. He was the team’s backup point guard from 2014 to 2019 and saw the Warriors transform from an NBA powerhouse to an invincible force. After KD joined, these are Livingston’s thoughts on Steph Curry.
Livingston said, “No problem welcome KD with open arms and was cool with him taking the most shots and doing all that. It was hard for Steph because it was an adjustment. He didn’t make the adjustment until Christmas game.”
He added, “Like, it was the a**hole type of personality. Steph wasn’t that way. But he still had that competitive killer instinct on the court, but he’s quiet, good dude, well-spoken, right? Come from a good background, all the things where it was just different, and he allowed you to be comfortable on the court with him, even though he was a superstar, and you didn’t get that a lot.”
Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond started things, but Kevin Durant’s entrance cemented them as a dynasty. After the Warriors defeated them in the playoffs in 2016, he shocked the NBA by teaming up with Curry to make the Warriors almost untouchable.
Do you think it benefited Curry, as they won the title just after that? As for this season, Curry doesn’t have much backup, as the Warriors failed to sign a few good names.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NBA stories via Google! Follow Us
How Did The Warriors Dominate The NBA Due To Kevin Durant And Stephen Curry’s Duo?
Curry frequently gave in to Durant to make decisions on the court. As a result, the Warriors dominated the West for a record three years. They took home the championship in consecutive years, in 2017 and 2018. But if Durant and Klay Thompson hadn’t had season-ending injuries in the NBA Finals, they may have won it again in 2019.
In the summer of 2019, Durant decided to leave to pursue a collaboration with Kyrie Irving on the Brooklyn Nets, knowing that it was Curry’s team. He would leave behind Curry and Klay, but it would only be years before they defeated the Boston Celtics in the 2022 Finals to claim their fourth championship.
Curry still makes sacrifices now, whether it’s by being understanding with the front office, accommodating to his new teammates, or willing to change his style of play. The Warriors are not expected to win it all next season.
However, if Curry stays healthy, they might still be a threat. Steph has the complete freedom to use all his abilities without Durant or Klay Thompson, and he plans to do just that during his 16th season.
