Superstar Stephen Curry has paid tribute to slimmed-down teammate Andrew Bogut after they helped the Golden State Warriors to the best season start in NBA history.
The 30-year-old Australian has fought back from multiple serious injuries to be a fit, mobile big man playing a valuable role for the free-scoring Warriors, who have opened with a record 16 straight wins.
Bogut's giant frame is 10kg lighter than last season after he decided to cut sugar from his diet and he has looked more mobile while averaging 20 minutes, seven points and seven rebounds a game.
"He looks like a teenager out there running laps around the other big men in this league, catching lobs, playing great defence, blocking shots and it's great to see," said Curry in a teleconference on Wednesday.
Bogut, who scored eight points from dunks but also twinged his back in Tuesday's 117-77 win over the LA Lakers when they broke the record to go 16-0, sat out of the Warriors' practice on Wednesday.
But the injury has been deemed minor and he is expected to play against the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
Reigning NBA MVP Curry insisted the Warriors weren't focused on smashing more NBA records, although other mythical milestones, including the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers' 33-win streak and Michael Jordan's 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' 72-win season, appear in reach.
"It's important to have tangible goals to look at and work for, but we do a great job of just staying in the moment," Curry said.
"Nobody really talked about the 15-0 record until probably last week when we were around 11 or 12 wins because you can't get too far ahead of yourself."
Curry and his Warriors teammates say regular season records will not mean much if the team fails to successfully defend their NBA title, but if they do make new marks like the Lakers' 33 consecutive wins they will gladly take them.
"We'll play hard and hopefully close in on that record but it won't be a disappointing effort if we don't get there," the guard said.
Share
