We would never know how Reggie Miller would play if he lived in the era of Moreyball. I am pretty sure he would have shot a lot more from 3, somewhere close to what Curry is doing. I've always laughed at how people keep using the hand check rule to disqualify today's players. If the scrawny Reggie Miller could be a prolific shooter, I am pretty sure guys like Curry would find a way to shoot.
With the quickness he release the ball, the hands check rule would not be much an issue. I. Thomas, Kevin Johnson, Stockton, etc, all in similar build, and had no problem in those era, Curry doesn't even go to the hoop much anyway.
i mentioned this elsewhere, but on many of his shots, there's really no one within 5 feet of him, particularly on those left-corner threes, from where he's hit something like 91% this post season. credit the rest of his team for setting the screens to free him up, but i have trouble he believing he could shoot like this were he playing in a physical series like the '94 finals. much of the time it's like he's shooting in warmups, not even a hand in his face.
Curry would be deadly in an era where a dominant big tended to prevent defenders from straying too far from the paint; a lot of inside-out possibilities. Also, hand-checking is useless when the guy can pull up from six feet behind the 3-point line.
It is easy to get off ball scorers open, just run some screens and voila. The difference is composure, accuracy and release time and Curry has all 3. Even in the hand check era he would've thrived in the same way that Ray Allen, Reggie Miller and that dude from the pistons (Hamilton?) did.
http://www.bayareasportsguy.com/stephen-curry-is-changing-the-nba-in-the-best-way-possible/ You guys are being sour... Curry is a rare talent ... unusual combination of a dead-eye shooter, fantastic scorer, and speed-demon. He can score points in bunches without ever getting to the rim. He's proven himself to be a worthy MVP, unlike some people.
Playoff basketball specifically - In the past we've seen good outside shooters become ineffective once playoffs start. Ex: Dan Majerle, Peja Stojakvic, etc. Shooters used to be some of the easiest players to neutralize (Reggie Miller an exception). Its less so now. Now post players get fronted and contained Still overall, I think there's just more focus on importance of 3pt shot now. Now it seems shooters roam a more freely. A combination of offensive systems and rules that allow for it. Plus player practice time on shooting. They're just staying one step ahead. In hand-check era was more focus on dunking, MID-range, posting up, slashing, play in the paint. Now its perimeter play and spacing is a must. [It can work the OTHER way too, where you can take past players from no-hand-check era and they'd have better careers. There were shooting forwards then who'd be good "Stretch 4's" today.] If Steph Curry was born INTO the hand-check era he'd be playing more to their style as a scorer/shooter/passer, a more defined "point guard" role. Compared to now where its shooter/playmaker/scorer, small ball and combo guard-wing positions. His great shooting would still be evident, in discussion amongst best ever. If current Curry is transported BACK into hand-check era, no doubt he'd still be best shooter ever, cuz he'd be "one step ahead" of everyone knowing what he knows now. But his shot goes in bucket any era.
this is stupid. you can apply this "hand check rule" to every superstar now and argue their numbers will suffer. what's the point?
People forget what the three point shooters were like back in the 90s. Those guys were mainly catch and shoot guys. They ran through a million screens to get open and knock down a shot. Curry is a whole different animal. I don't think we've ever seen someone quite like him in the NBA.
Don't get me wrong, I think Steph Curry is a fantastic shooter but make no mistake, the hand check would do a great job of exactly that. Keeping him in check. Not only would he get checked while handling the ball, he'd get checked while off the ball. It would allow bigger players to guard him easier being able to hand check him thus allowing players to stay much much closer to his body knowing that they can't blow by him because a strong hand check would immediately stop his driving ability or at least greatly deter it. That's why guards back in the day that were successful were physically strong guards. He'd adjust but I believe his production wouldn't be what it is now. I believe he'd have to score more off screens than he would be able to just dribble and pull up.
It's because you could disrupt their shot with little nudges here and there and post players are perpetually facing some guy falling down being a charge.
