Many times, discoveries are accidental.  And sometimes dire situations can bring about the biggest of breakthroughs.  On Wednesday night, in the wake of the Golden State Warriors 132-102 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, there was indeed a breakthrough of epic proportions.

The Warriors had just won an NBA basketball – which is not a routine occurrence for them.  Not only did they win, but they hammered the Clips with the style of play that we have been accustomed to watching them play…high scoring, no defense, run-and-gun basketball.  Most notably they were without two of their top guns – guard Monta Ellis (26.2 ppg) and swingman Corey Maggette (20.8 ppg) both sat out with injuries.

What did newcomer Stephen Curry have to say about Golden State’s success in spite of the absence of its top two scorers?

“They play their style, and you’ve got to cater to that (Curry said speaking of Ellis and Maggette). We have to figure out how to be productive around them. . . . It’s tough. You’ve got two guards out there who like to be in the pick-and-roll, who like to shoot the ball, like to get others involved, so there’s always going to be a dilemma out there, who should get the ball more. I don’t want to put too much emphasis on Monta being out and us scoring 130 points, because I don’t really believe we’re a better team without him.”

Obviously, the rookie is going to say and do the right thing when it comes to the media (and he should be applauded for that).  But the results of a 30-point win cannot be argued.  The Warriors shot 62% from the field mainly because they ball was moving to the open man, instead of being monopolized by someone looking to make a one-on-one move on each possession.  The ball movement generated 36 assists and GSW shot it at a 59% clip (13-22) from deep.

Stephen Curry had a monster night, tallying 36 points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds and 3 steals in his best NBA performance to date.  While many analysts were concerned about Curry’s ability to play the point guard position, game after game he has proven to be an unselfish playmaker. 

Warriors guard Monta Ellis is a scorer...but that's about all he does.

But perhaps Curry’s deadliest weapon is his propensity to can long-range bombs.  Like his father (former NBA sharpshooter Del Curry), Stephen has an effortless, lightning-quick release.  The youngsters soft touch is an important trait for any floor general – and is perhaps the biggest reason that I feel Monta Ellis is expendable. 

Curry’s ability to space the floor is critical in the NBA.  In an era in which teams are filled with athletic players, defenses are able to cover and rotate more effectively.  So, a team with mulit-dimensional players (including good shooters) has a greater ability to effectively execute its offense – free of clutter and disruption (out of respect for their shooting).  The rookie – who recorded the first rookie triple-double for Golden State since Chris Webber over 15 years ago – can also put in work off the bounce.  The versatility of being a willing passer is what potentially makes Curry more of a commodity for his team’s free-flowing pace than Monta Ellis.

Also, Monta’s value is probably at an all-time high right now.  Ellis is avaeraging career highs in points, assists, steals and, not surprisingly, turnovers (4.19 per game). 

What exactly would Ellis be worth?  No one really has a clue since there hasn’t been a demand for his services.  But if it’s one thing that we can be sure of – it’s that players who can average 26 points a night aren’t a dime a dozen in any league…much less the NBA.

If the Warriors are stuck on Ellis’ amazing scoring prowess, then they better figure out how to ‘un-stick’ themselves.

If they don’t, they just might stay stuck on their losing pedigree.