It's official. Stephen Curry has reached 'video game' level. Over a recent 5-game span, Curry has hit 44 3-pointers, the most ever in NBA history and 10 more than the Orlando Magic - an entire NBA franchise. At the age of 33, he has also matched Kobe Bryant's record for the most consecutive games averaging 30+ points over the age of 30 (10). In my opinion, in his current form, Steph "Video Game" Curry may be the most deadly offensive threat the NBA has ever seen.
Just before I see "WhAt AbOuT LeBrOn!?" or "WhAt AbOuT Mj!?" in the comment section let's just clarify something first. We are in an era of basketball that is all-encompassed by the use of the 3-pointer. NBA teams take more three's, make more three's - hell, if it isn't a three, most players won't even shoot it.
The reasoning behind this whole concept pretty simple. 3 points are better than 2 and the team who can make the most 3's will ultimately end up winning the most ball games. I think it's safe to say at this point that Steph Curry has already made his case for the best 3-point shooter of all time. He holds current NBA records in most 3's in a single season (402), most consecutive games with at least one 3-pointer (157), and is currently 2nd All-Time in 3-pointers made (2745) with 552 fewer games played than current record holder Ray Allen (2973). Curry has achieved all this whilst maintaining a 44% career 3-point shooting percentage - ranging from the 3-point line to 10 feet beyond it.
However, it's not the volume of 3-pointers that Curry scores that make him so dangerous, it's the range. Since his career-defining season in 2015, Curry has become the first player to be a dangerous scorer before even passing half court. In contrast, players such as LeBron, Kobe, and MJ are dangerous in their own right, but only from around 22ft and in - Curry is dangerous from 40ft and in. This type of floor commandment forces whole opposing defences to spread further and further up the court, leaving acres of space for Curry's teammates to cut and find easy buckets - but only if Curry doesn't score first.
As much as people love to say "there has never been a player like MJ" or "there will never be another like LeBron", these statements are simply not true. Brute strength and volcanic leaping ability is something that the NBA draft produces on a yearly basis - even if they don't have a skillset to match. However, a statement that is true is this one "there has NEVER been a player like Steph Curry". A player so deadly from anywhere on the floor combined with a release so quick it can be missed in the blink of an eye, he can only be defined as 'video-game-like. Sure MJ was a better defender. LeBron is a better playmaker. But make no mistake, Curry will go down in history as the best offensive player to ever touch an NBA hardcourt.
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| Steph Curry - Wikimedia |
Just read 85 in the past month !! Wow
ReplyDeleteAmazing skil and judgement of distance and power !!!