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Stephen A. Smith says Warriors' title window is open while Curry plays at this level
With the Warriors on a six-game win streak, Stephen A. Smith said on First Take that Golden State can't be dismissed while Steph Curry plays like this.
The Warriors' turnaround from an 0-3 start has picked up a loud backer. On Friday's episode of ESPN's "First Take," Stephen A. Smith said Steph Curry's championship window is still open. He made the case a day after Golden State beat Miami 120-100 for its sixth straight win, which moved the team to 6-3.
As NBC Sports Bay Area reported, Smith based his argument on the 2022 Finals. He said he did not think Golden State was the better team than Boston that year, and he did not expect Curry to outplay both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Curry did it anyway. Smith pointed to his shooting, his movement off the ball and, more than anything, his conditioning. He also stopped short of calling the Warriors contenders in the strict sense. "I'm not trying to tell you that they should be favorites, but I can't dismiss Golden State, not as long as Steph Curry is looking the way that he's looking," Smith said.
That is a change of tone from the same show. About a year and a half ago, NBC Sports Bay Area reported that Smith and the First Take panel believed Curry would not win another title with Golden State. What has changed is the last two weeks. The Warriors lost to the Lakers, Memphis and Phoenix to open the season, then went on the road and won at Denver 134-114 and at Minnesota 119-114. Since returning home they have beaten the Lakers, the Clippers, the Suns and the Heat.
The streak has also been convincing. Golden State has outscored opponents by 77 points over the six wins, about 121 points scored to 108 allowed per game, and four of those wins came by double digits. Even with the three losses counted, the Warriors are plus-43 for the season. One April-style argument on a morning show does not make a contender, but nine games in, the numbers fit Smith's point better than they would have a fortnight ago.
What it means for Orlando
The Warriors host the Orlando Magic on Saturday, November 7, with the streak at six. Golden State is 4-1 at Chase Center so far, and its only home loss was the three-point defeat to Memphis in the second game of the season. It also avenged the road loss to Phoenix on Wednesday.
The board on our game page has Golden State clearly favored. Novig, one of 12 venues listed, has the Warriors at -223 and Orlando at +217. Pinnacle has the best Magic price anywhere at +228. Most venues set the spread at 6.5 points, with Novig at -100 on Golden State -6.5, and Pinnacle offers Orlando +7 at -109. Novig's total is 221.5, and other venues range from 219.5 to 222.5. Sportsbook hold on the moneyline runs from 2.9% to 5.5%, so the venues are fairly close on who should win and differ mostly on margin.
A win would give the Warriors seven straight and put the national debate Smith restarted under more pressure. More on the season is on our Warriors team page.