I watch sports to witness greatness. I want to be wowed by athletic prowess and stunned by precise execution under incredible stakes.
As a younger fan, I was more invested in my favorite teams. I was catatonic when the 2007 Patriots lost the Super Bowl. Now, I’m more interested in watching excellence rather than rooting for, or against, laundry. I can even appreciate the rivals I used to hate. Except for the Lakers, I still hate the Lakers. Still, I really like watching excellence. Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors are the very definition of excellence.
Since Patrick Mahomes was promoted to starting in 2018, he has been the best quarterback in the league and, arguably, of all time. Only time will tell for that last bit, but as a longtime Tom Brady defender, you can see how even admitting that demonstrates my growth.
Steph Curry joined the NBA in 2009 and walked on the court as one of the best shooters in the league. Since then, he’s established his claim as the best shooter of all time. I was only slightly mad, like decently mad, fine, I was distraught, but not angry, when he crushed my hopes of an 18th championship banner hanging from the Boston rafters in 2022.
Damn, do I respect Mahomes and Curry. Because of that respect, I have one major request from the sporting gods. Can we get these guys some help out there?! These two players who seem very different are, in fact, oddly similar, right down to what is not working. They might be the best at what they do, but in the fledgling days of 2024, it’s not looking nearly as pretty as it has in the past.
Despite playing very different sports, there are a lot of similarities between these two superstars. Mahomes’ full name is Patrick Mahomes II. His father, as you may have guessed, is also named Patrick Mahomes, and was a professional baseball pitcher. Steph Curry’s father, Dell Curry, was a player in the NBA. There is a level of professionalism, confidence, and knowledge of what it takes to excel at the highest level that both of these players brought with them right away, presumably gleaned from their family history.
Both men have won multiple championships, with Mahomes winning two Super Bowls and Curry winning four NBA titles. Curry has two league MVP awards and Mahomes has two league MVP awards. However, the primary similarity between Mahomes and Curry is a less quantifiable trait. These guys are not just players; they are maestros. There is a flow to their respective games, a feeling that the audience gets while watching both of them that is almost akin to giddiness.
Steph Curry is credited with reinventing the way basketball is played. His shooting ability has changed geometry on the court. Defenses stretch and snap like putty trying to cover all the angles created by the Warriors’ movement, and Curry’s gravity specifically. He is unique among basketball superstars in that he is most terrifying when he doesn’t have the ball. He moves without it and then pops up, open for a split second, and the ball is gone–swish. He plays with grace and flair, while being incredibly competitive. I will always remember the game-winner he hit from a few steps over half-court against the Thunder as a statement to the basketball world.
Patrick Mahomes has been similarly impactful since he arrived on the scene. He has infused his play-style with a level of creativity that is a joy to watch. He launches throws from a ridiculous amount of arm angles. Defenses twist and warp to try to cover all the different levels of the field that he attacks. The pocket is supposed to be the safe space for a QB, but Mahomes is at his most dangerous when he moves outside. His agility allows him to extend plays, which causes defenses to break down. He has the capability to hit an open receiver, or he can scramble.
The Chiefs take full advantage of his special abilities, designing one of the most clever playbooks in the league because there isn’t a throw he can’t make, including no-looks! I will never forget him scoring in 13 seconds to beat the Bills with a trip to the Super Bowl at stake.
That brings us to 2024. These superstars are still at the top of their games individually, however, their team success is not up to the expectations they have set. The Chiefs are 10-6. It’s good, not great, and the losses have been troubling. The Warriors are 16-17, the very definition of average. So, what’s going on?
The Warriors dynasty has been buoyed by more than just Curry. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson are Hall of Fame players in their own rights. Thompson might just be the second-best shooter alive and Green has been the defensive mortar holding the bricks together, while also being the initiator of the Warriors’ most deadly sets. Kevin Durant fell into their laps because of fun salary cap math. Things are different now.
Durant moved on years ago. Klay blew out his knee and tore his Achilles in back-to-back seasons. Understandably, he does not move the same way he once did. His shot has made a resurgence of late, yet he can’t quite fit into the same role he once did. Draymond has been a menace, but now it’s because he keeps punching people in their faces and nuts, not because of his defensive prowess.
The team construction is not helping these aging players much either. The Warriors had a chance to extend their championship window by landing the number two, seven, and fourteen picks in back-to-back drafts. They picked two guys who are helpful players and borderline starters, but not difference-makers, as well as one player who is no longer on their team. Perhaps winning the Finals in ‘22 gave them the impression they were all set, despite knowing – in retrospect – that whiffing on those picks can crush a franchise. Curry’s brilliance is still pulling this team along, even if they don’t have the horses to run the race for the full season.
The Kansas City Chiefs had a dominant Big Three with Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Tyreek Hill. Then, last season, they let Hill go to Miami. Travis Kelce is 34 and starting to show the inevitable signs of decline – on the football field at least. Like the Warriors after 2021, winning the Super Bowl last season might have given the Chiefs a false sense of security.
Mahomes made magic out of molehills. This year, unfortunately, those hills are collapsing. The wide receivers are sloppy and the offense is full of static. I should not place the blame on all of the receivers – Rashee Rice, a rookie wide receiver, has been a bright spot, yet you can rarely lay all your hopes on a rookie at that position. Still, he’s been good and has gotten better every week.
The Chiefs’ front office has drafted decently well over the last several years. They’ve picked up starting linebackers Willie Gay Jr. and Nick Bolton, and defensive backs L’jarius Sneed, Brian Cook, and Trent McDuffie. On offense, they got Rice and Isiah Pacheco. Even more so than basketball, football teams need depth. And one receiver, depth does not make. Skyy Moore was another high pick who has been fine in a backup role, but not the star the Chiefs need. They picked up Kadarius Toney last season as a hopeful big-play guy, and he has been – only it’s been for the opposing teams. Travis Kelce might be the best pass-catching tight end ever, and he still makes plays, but now that millisecond of quickness, the crispness, is fading.
Now I’ll ask again, can we get the GOATs some help? To ask a rhetorical question like that probably isn’t the most helpful, so let me make some suggestions.
The Warriors need size. The NBA right now is dominated by very, very large men, even more so than the other large men playing the game. Nikola Jokić, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antentokuonmpo, and the Minnesota combo of Karl-Rudy Townsbert are killing teams. Even LeBron is using the most brute force of his career.
The Warriors do not have that. I do appreciate how they’ve tried to get creative. They are using a 38-year-old, six-foot-tall point guard to take the place of Draymond Green. Chris Paul is not the defensive force that Draymond has been, but he’s calling out rotations and he’s surprisingly strong. In a recent game against Boston, Jayson Tatum could not move him in the post. On offense, he’s running a mutated version of the short rolls. Paul weaves his way into the paint instead of rolling off a screen and makes the right decision from there.
The Warriors have also been giving Trayce Jackson-Davis playing time, and he’s been acting as a roll man who can actually jump up and catch a lob for a dunk. It is a role that Golden State has long needed. Jonathan Kuminga, one of those high draft picks, is trying really hard and when you are as athletic as he is, that can matter.
I want the Warriors to make a move before the trade deadline in February, even if it’s for someone less impactful, like Bizmack Biyombo or Isaiah Stewart. The team needs to help sort out this Draymond drama and sign Klay for a more cap-friendly number, but those may be off-season moves. I speak to Management directly when I say, Please do what you can, we cannot waste this Steph season.
The Chiefs might be out of luck this season, as they can’t make any trades and the playoffs are looming. However, there is one thing they can do for their future selves. Having the best quarterback can put you in a position to win just about any game. And in the NFL, when the playoffs are one game and not a series, that matters.
This season in particular, it has felt like any team can beat any other on any afternoon. Just by stepping on the field, Mahomes gives the Chiefs a chance. That said, to truly vault back into unquestioned greatness they need to get another weapon for Mahomes. If they could go get Tee Higgins, Davante Adams, or another star receiver to pair with Rice and whatever Kelce is still delivering next season, I think that would be huge.
This is a league of playmakers, just look at what McCaffrey and Hill are doing right now for their teams. Continuing to develop the defense will also take the pressure off. If those draft picks on both sides of the ball continue to improve, then the whole ship will rise. What they cannot do is go into next season just assuming that Patrick Mahomes will put the team on his back. He can, but he should not have to.
I want more greatness. It stings to watch two GOATs cover for teammates who brick shots, or act like they are trying to catch a brick. Two parallel generational talents like Steph Curry and Patrick Mahomes do not come along often, and I want us all to witness as much excellence as possible. Here’s to seeing how we can turn things around in 2024.
