Teams are trying to run him off the three-point line at all times, either by picking him up with tight man defense several feet behind it, immediate traps or "blitzing" the pick-and-roll (both defenders staying with Curry). The problem is that he's been one of the best in the league at finishing in the paint, he's a great passer if the defense converges and Draymond Green has proven to be an incredible secondary play-maker if he gets the ball after a double (and he then gets to play 4-on-3, which is broken unfair). Right now, there is no particularly good defense for Curry. His "off-nights" are ones where 2-3 threes that normally go down (wide open ones, often) are a hair off.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Just dropped on <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter">@SportsCenter</a>: Steph Curry is on pace to make more 3s in his last 2 seasons than Larry Bird did in his entire 13-yr career.</p>— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) <a href="https://twitter.com/tomhaberstroh/status/672448748916748288">December 3, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Last two players to have six 40-point games in the season's 1st 20 games: • Steph Curry • MJ (1986-87..13 that yr) <a href="https://t.co/A9EcDSoGp6">pic.twitter.com/A9EcDSoGp6</a></p>— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/672238254767345664">December 3, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">"Is scoring 40 pts through 3 hard?" -Steph Curry, probably. He's done it 4 times this season. Rest of the NBA? Once. <a href="https://t.co/6dj5J3wbdB">pic.twitter.com/6dj5J3wbdB</a></p>— ESPN (@espn) <a href="https://twitter.com/espn/status/672237923903930368">December 3, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Steph Curry- on why people like him . . . He only LOOKS Normal. His Game is other worldly. <a href="https://t.co/cQF4zYxJgt">pic.twitter.com/cQF4zYxJgt</a></p>— Cy Fulton (@CyFulton1) <a href="https://twitter.com/CyFulton1/status/669159024017973251">November 24, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
There's a reason for that, and it has nothing to do with "luck" (which has apparently last for a full season and now a quarter of a second)--it's that Curry elevates everyone he's on the floor with, with his completely unique gravity. There has never been a player that defense are so hyper-aware of than Curry, not even Jordan. That's not to say Curry is better than Jordan, but generally when Jordan beat you, it was for 2. Curry's rain of threes can turn a game around much faster and no one has ever rained them down so often and consistently. That's completely warping defenses around him. It doesn't hurt them than Draymond Green also happens to be a pretty unique talent himself, and a player almost perfectly suited to this era of pace-and-space basketball. With his mix of shooting, ball-handling and passing (while being able to stay on the floor with other shooters, since he can guard the other team's most threatening big man), he's able to absolutely destroy those Curry-warped defenses. Your numbers in no way indicate that Curry is overhyped. In fact, they indicate the opposite...that his (and Green's) effect is so game-changing, he turns supporting players into +/- superstars.
Klay Thompson ranks #111 on Real Plus / Minus. Same stat that Curry is #1 and Green is #6 . Just throwing that out there, since you called them +/- superstars. Personally, I'm not a big fan of that stat.
I'm not either, since it doesn't account for things like who your backup is (if your backup is awful, that's obviously going to inflate your raw +/-) and on-court synergies, like the Warriors have. I was simply explaining to Honey Bear why he was seeing so many Warriors at the top of +/-.
Stephen Cury - Best SHooter in the history of the game - Best PG today - Top 3-5 PG ALL TIME - Chance to be a top 25 player ALL Time You're witnessing greatness. Enjoy it. I have given up being bitter. Last season I said Steph was a better player than Harden and this season the gap is only getting bigger.
First time an MVP of the previous year has the chance to win Most Improved Player the following year. I'm serious this guy is playing incredible even better than last year, it's crazy
Do you define a great PG by its ability to assist or ability to help teammates score a basket? Stephen Curry helps teammates score in so many ways, one of which is by standing a few feet beyond the 3pt line and passing to green at the top of the key. In modern day, this is considered a huge assist. Actually a more effective assist than many other kinds. No one has touched Curry's current level of PG impact. The only argument against him would be the longevity of his prime. But again, you can count in your hand how many PGs had ever won the MVP. Thanks for your history lesson.
He will end up as a top 3-5 PG Only Magic J, Isiah Thomas and perhaps Stockton have a clear case over. He will be better than the likes of Nash once his career is done. I think he has already surpassed Nash. one MVP and a ring. Who is left? Payton? You need to learn your basketball
There's also Oscar Robertson, who's generally considered a point guard (though strict guard positions were not as defined back then). Still, Curry is hard to rank because he's been doing it (at this level) for such a short period of time. If he keeps this up for years, I wouldn't even rank Thomas or Stockton ahead of him. Of course, if he keeps playing at THIS level (regular 40 point games in 3 quarters, 30+ PPG scoring, brilliant passing, even a high number of rebounds for a point guard) he could even catch Magic. But right now, he can't be ranked nearly that high due to how short a time he's been a truly elite player.
I was one of Golden States biggest skeptics all last year. But HOLY ***** this team is steamrolling the NBA. Everything about them is just historic. They're going to win the championship. Everyone else is just a pretender Insane
I don't get why you say he will clearly be below Stockton, Magic and Isiah. He's young, absolutely dominating and right now it seems like he'll collect a lot of championships. Let's say he plays like this for the next years, what makes guys like Stockton and Isiah better?
He's still improving, let's wait till he's hit his prime guys before deciding. http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/stephen-curry-is-the-revolution/
he has the potential to end up as a top 3-5 pg but to say he is ALREADY top 3-5 all time shows how young you are and how uneducated you are in the history of the nba.
then how are the warriors able to extend leads when curry is on the bench, shouldnt the lead get smaller. For my money Draymon is the most important player on that team
what a false sense of reasoning. Everything starts with Curry period. Nothing opens up the way it does without him. They don't play the way they do without him. You can say Draymond is probably the most important player after Curry but over Curry is completely 100% false.
If Curry keeps up his current level of play over his career, he will be the clearly the best PG in history in my book. Right now he is destroying teams 6 feet away from the 3 point line. He is like the perimeter Shaq. Magic/Stockton/Payton did not do that. There is little doubt that this Warriors will beat Jordan's 72-win season, maybe even by a comfortable margin.
