Official Steph Curry is GOAT thread

[Jkwo]

Go back 40 years and think about Tiny Archibald. He was smaller than Curry and led the league in scoring and assists. You never hear his name anymore.

You could argue that he had elite quickness, but Curry has elite shooting ability, including the quickness of his release.

All of these guys are elite in at least one facet, clearly.

Yeah, I meant just athletic/measurable attributes as opposed to skills like shooting.

And when Tiny was playing, great has he was, there were a bunch of guys who did really well while having mediocre measurables by today's standard. Dr. J wasn't even drafted until he'd been in the league for two years.

 

[WitnessGreatness]

Man.. I'm really curious to see what happens when GSW gets blown up via 1. Players wanting more money and 2. Curry getting double the salary now with a Max contract .. I think the talent is there but people are really blowing him up to astronomical levels.

Main core of Warriors is together for at least this year and next and Curry would be the only free agent of Klay/Green/Curry in the next four years and no way Warriors let Curry walk.

 

[WitnessGreatness]

I feel like most people don't realize Curry broke Ray Allen's three point record back in 2012-2013 and lost to the Spurs in 6 games in Conference semis. He also should have made the All Star team that year.

In 2013-2014 he nearly broke his own 3pt record, was an All Star and was All NBA Second team. He's been really really good at shooting for a while now time and last year isn't just a fluke

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Main core of Warriors is together for at least this year and next and Curry would be the only free agent of Klay/Green/Curry in the next four years and no way Warriors let Curry walk.

He won't walk, but he's going to get that payday, which while fully worth it (he's def worth max dough), GSW won't be able to have 8 or 9 really good players.. They will have to make sacrifices. Green and Thompson may be there.. But will they be happy? Will they want more?



GSW is in a real good spot right now.. Should rattle off a few more WCFs and even a few titles.

 

[mj2k10]

Man.. I'm really curious to see what happens when GSW gets blown up via 1. Players wanting more money and 2. Curry getting double the salary now with a Max contract .. I think the talent is there but people are really blowing him up to astronomical levels.

No. He's blowing himself up.

He's hitting 4.9 of 11.1 three point attempts per game. To put that into some perspective, the 3 point shot first came to the NBA in 79-80, and it was almost an entire decade before any TEAM averaged 4.9 threes per game. They had to take a hell of a lot more than 11.1 per game to do that. It's only been in the last 20 years that the average NBA team would make that many 3's a game (and a lot of that has to do with the shorter 3 point line the NBA used for a while). And they'd be ecstatic to hit them at 35%.

You find me someone else in NBA history who was scoring 31.6 ppg while averaging 1.27 points per FG attempt. You can't, because there hasn't been anyone like that.

All that said, I don't forget that Curry was not doing things on this level until this year. Like I said- right place, right time, right team.

 

[Untouchables22]

I feel like most people don't realize Curry broke Ray Allen's three point record back in 2012-2013 and lost to the Spurs in 6 games in Conference semis. He also should have made the All Star team that year.

In 2013-2014 he nearly broke his own 3pt record, was an All Star and was All NBA Second team. He's been really really good at shooting for a while now time and last year isn't just a fluke

He is the best shooter in the history of the game of basketball....but to say he is the GOAT is laughable right now. Hell LeBron was clearly better in the finals last year. He needs to become the best player in the NBA first lol

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Well that's kind of what I'm getting at MJ. He didn't have Green 3 years ago.. Barnes wasn't there yet. No Iggy.

How much of this is Steph taking the next step.. And how much of it is the team he's apart of? I think that's a fair question. Yes, he's making those shots, but he's got the best team make-up you could ask for to help him get those attempts.. And to get them easily. Would he be hitting 5 of 11 on the Knicks?

*I really need to stop using the Knicks as a punchline these days. They aren't the NBAs laughing stock.. Or at least aren't the worst..

 

[Hoskins91]

No one has ever done what Curry is currently doing. That doesn't make him the greatest player ever. He'd have to do this for several years for that to be a discussion, but that doesn't change the fact that people should appreciate this.

 

[WitnessGreatness]

Well that's kind of what I'm getting at MJ. He didn't have Green 3 years ago.. Barnes wasn't there yet. No Iggy.

How much of this is Steph taking the next step.. And how much of it is the team he's apart of? I think that's a fair question. Yes, he's making those shots, but he's got the best team make-up you could ask for to help him get those attempts.. And to get them easily. Would he be hitting 5 of 11 on the Knicks?

*I really need to stop using the Knicks as a punchline these days. They aren't the NBAs laughing stock.. Or at least aren't the worst..

In the last two minutes of the third quarter, he pulled up from 25, 30, 29 and 30 feet and made them all, so yes if he's pulling from 30 multiple times and cashing them then yes he could do it on any time. Also, Curry had chronic ankle problems a few years ago so it's more than just Thompson and Green getting better

 

[Hoskins91]

Well that's kind of what I'm getting at MJ. He didn't have Green 3 years ago.. Barnes wasn't there yet. No Iggy.

How much of this is Steph taking the next step.. And how much of it is the team he's apart of? I think that's a fair question. Yes, he's making those shots, but he's got the best team make-up you could ask for to help him get those attempts.. And to get them easily. Would he be hitting 5 of 11 on the Knicks?

*I really need to stop using the Knicks as a punchline these days. They aren't the NBAs laughing stock.. Or at least aren't the worst..

I'd say yes, because for any other player, a lot of the shots he takes would be terrible. Now of course people wouldn't be hyping it as much, because the Knicks wouldn't be undefeated, but he would still be in the lead for MVP right now.

 

[kentucky_wildcat_#1]

The Warriors roster is built perfect and are so much fun to watch play. They have shooters all over the floor and on 2k16, they are so fun to play with. I don't play with them much while playing online. I just don't feel it's fair to play with that team and win every game by 10+ points. Kerr walked into a dream job when he got that roster to coach. Curry is just a badazz. That backcourt can shoot and hit more 3s than many teams in a season. I always figured Barnes would take the next step and become a go to type of player in the NBA. If that happened, i'm sure he would find somewhere else to play for since that team is Curry's and maybe Klay's. I know how important Green's D is for that team so don't think i'm counting him out. Even Bogut brings something to the table and helps that team win games.

 

[Clive Gollings]

It really is funny who quick people are to switch. Just a year or so ago it was James was the best etc...etc...

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Not even close on the GOAT comment.

I love his game and his attitude, but he'll be 28 in March and has one finals appearance. If and when he gets to 5 more by the time he's 33, and ends up going 6/6 in those finals appearances, then his promoters will have a case to make.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

It really is funny who quick people are to switch. Just a year or so ago it was James was the best etc...etc...

It's like people cannot fathom the idea that they're watching an era of basketball that might not feature the "greatest of all time" contender. Every elite player/performance has to be promoted as a potential "greatest ever" at their position. It's comical. The media sells it, and some longtime fans - who should know better by now - keep buying it.

 

[mkasten25]

Not sure if hes the GOAT but is definitely having one of the best seasons of all time.

 

[mj2k10]

It's like people cannot fathom the idea that they're watching an era of basketball that might not feature the "greatest of all time" contender. Every elite player/performance has to be promoted as a potential "greatest ever" at their position. It's comical. The media sells it, and some longtime fans - who should know better by now - keep buying it.

Except that Curry has the numbers to back it up.

Flavor of the month is very common, and it's very true that some people are quick to promote the latest as the greatest. But it's also true that Curry is objectively performing at a level (at least in terms of shooting) that is absolutely unprecedented in NBA history. No one else is even remotely close. Some people, trying to fight against flavor of the month, refuse to acknowledge that reality.

Ray Allen and Reggie Miller are 1-2 for most 3 point FG's made in a career (with Miller 466 ahead of the 3rd place guy, Jason Terry). Most people would concede that they were the 2 best high volume 3 point shooters in NBA history. The most 3 pointers that Allen ever made in a season was 269, the most that Miller made was 229 (when the line was shorter). Steph Curry is on pace to hit 418.

The NBA record for career 3 pt % is held by Steve Kerr, at .454. Curry is shooting better than that this year, while averaging 11 attempts per game. Curry's % would be among the top 50 single season marks ever, and he's doing that while on pace to break the record for attempts by 232.

Curry is redefining what's possible when it comes to perimeter shooting. If not, if Curry is just an outlier and no one else comes along anytime soon who's at least near him, then what does that say about Curry?

 

[Bluegrass79]

NBA lets Curry score. If they played real defense and strategy he wouldn't get 20 points a night. Trap him and make him pass it. Make the other 4 guys beat you. Rinse, repeat and on the other end make his little ass defend. EverY offensive play I ran would be against Curry's defense. Foul trouble his little ass. 2 fouls removes him from the 1st half. Punish his defense repeatedly in the 3rd quarter. Constant drives against him. You gotta make a offensively gifted player work his ass off on defense. Drive his ass

 

[mj2k10]

NBA lets Curry score. If they played real defense and strategy he wouldn't get 20 points a night. Trap him and make him pass it. Make the other 4 guys beat you. Rinse, repeat and on the other end make his little ass defend. EverY offensive play I ran would be against Curry's defense. Foul trouble his little ass. 2 fouls removes him from the 1st half. Punish his defense repeatedly in the 3rd quarter. Constant drives against him. You gotta make a offensively gifted player work his ass off on defense. Drive his ass

You should write a letter to the 29 guys each making over 7 figures to be head coaches in the NBA and pass on your knowledge. I'm sure they'd appreciate hearing how simple it is. Because, you know, guys with their jobs on the line, coaching at the highest level of the sport, clearly have no idea what they're doing.

 

[Bluegrass79]

You should write a letter to the 29 guys each making over 7 figures to be head coaches in the NBA and pass on your knowledge. I'm sure they'd appreciate hearing how simple it is. Because, you know, guys with their jobs on the line, coaching at the highest level of the sport, clearly have no idea what they're doing.

like I said they are LETTING Curry do whatever he wants. Coaches refuse to defend him correctly and they don't pressure his defense. He never has foul trouble. Trap defense is your friend against this guy. OVERRATED garbage. I know some pretty great college coaches that would do a damn good job of slowing down Curry using something besides man to man defense .

 

[mj2k10]

like I said they are LETTING Curry do whatever he wants. Coaches refuse to defend him correctly and they don't pressure his defense. He never has foul trouble. Trap defense is your friend against this guy. OVERRATED garbage

OK.

One more idiot for the ignore list.

Bye-bye.

 

[UK90]

It is truly bizarre that a 6'2 guy with short arms, zero muscle, so-so NBA athleticism could turn into one of the greatest scorers of all time, a more than respectable defensive guard, and not just an all star, but an MVP and the leader of one of the best teams of all time.
.

This. Let's remember this is a guy who got ZERO big conference scholarship offers out of high school because he was considered too scrawny, unathletic and physically limited for high level college basketball. Now that guy is arguably the best player in the entire world and utterly dominating the NBA.

The OP's hyperbolic post was certainly over the top, but I do hope everyone here can appreciate what an astonishing thing we're witnessing here.

 

[MojoYamamoto]

It's hard to compare players from different time periods and players from different positions. Curry is the best player in the NBA currently, especially offensively. His defense is good but not great and would be worse if he was called for the constant holding he does on defense. But there is no denying the the impact he has on the game. Would the Warriors be as good without Green or Thompson? No. But they would definitely be a lot worse off without Curry. I think its a bit premature for the greatest of all time or even greatest shooter of all time debates. To be those, he will need to sustain what he is currently doing for a longer period of time. I personally think he will end up being the greatest three point shooter of all time.

 

[Aike]

He didn't get off to the kind of start Steph did, but over the past 12 games, Paul George is shooting a higher percentage from three than Curry, and making nearly as many.

 

[Hoskins91]

Not even close on the GOAT comment.

I love his game and his attitude, but he'll be 28 in March and has one finals appearance. If and when he gets to 5 more by the time he's 33, and ends up going 6/6 in those finals appearances, then his promoters will have a case to make.

I disagree that he has to do that. That is too dependent on if he has a good team for the rest of his career. I agree the statement is premature, but someone doesn't have to have more championships than Jordan for the argument to be valid.

 

[prossdog]

Steph is amazing. It's pretty much him, Davis, Durant, and Lebron at the top. And I'd say he may be separating himself.

However, as amazing as his outside shooting is (and yes, it may end up being the best ever) to say he's more efficient than any season Jordan ever had is debatable at best. From 1988-90, Jordan averaged 35, 32.5, and 33.6 per game ALL with a higher fg% (and yes I'm aware many of those were very near the basket but wouldn't that make them efficient shots?) His rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks were all higher as well. His turnover rate was lower except one year where it was the same. Steph is doing what he's doing taking a couple fewer shots because so many are 3's, so MAYBE I'll say his scoring on its own is right there. But overall season, I'll still take his airness. And again, we're only 20 games in right now.


So yeah, I'm loving watching Steph as much as anyone. But he's got a ways to go before we can put him in any (billy)goat discussion.

 

[Aike]

Seriously, go look at what Paul George is doing.

Last 12 games, 33 ppg. 52% from three with 4+ makes per.

He is arguably playing as well as if not better than Curry, and few even notice.

Understandable. Warriors are defending champions, 20-0, and Curry is reigning MVP.

But keep an eye on PG.

 

[argubs2]

**FLASH**

SNARKS RE-EMERGES AS LAKERCAT, SHIFTS ALLEGIANCE TO CURRY

MORE AT 11

 

[Stonewall12]

I would take him over Lebron right now no doubt.

 

[Jkwo]

To be fair, that record is from pretty early in the 3 point era. That record had been doubled more than 50 times before Curry started doing this.

Didn't take away from what he's doing, though.

 

[macdon]

Jimmy Patsos is the only coach that has shut Curry down.

On November 25, 2008 Patsos and the Loyola Greyhounds used a triangle and two defense to hold Curry scoreless with only three shot attempts. Curry went to the corner and his teammates played four on three drilling the Greyhounds 78-48.

The other night a hapless NBA team wound up with a triple team on Curry as he ran in circles during a crucial in bounds play. Green fed Iggy for an open layup as the dumbfounded triple teamers helplessly watched from the wing.

Remember those two kids from Gonzaga that tried to double team Curry at the end of that "upset"? They ran into each other.

Watch the highlights from the Hornets game last night. Kamba Walker just gave up and watched as Curry hung 28 on Charlotte in the third quarter.

C'mon guys.....play some defense.

 

[WildMoon]

Lebron never should have been in the GOAT discussion.

Curry is getting rather close. I have to watch him for next 3-4 years.

Article below is interesting. Talks about good/bad shot. Like i said to someone on here before..cough cough

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/stephen-curry-is-the-revolution/

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Except that Curry has the numbers to back it up.

Flavor of the month is very common, and it's very true that some people are quick to promote the latest as the greatest. But it's also true that Curry is objectively performing at a level (at least in terms of shooting) that is absolutely unprecedented in NBA history. No one else is even remotely close. Some people, trying to fight against flavor of the month, refuse to acknowledge that reality.

Ray Allen and Reggie Miller are 1-2 for most 3 point FG's made in a career (with Miller 466 ahead of the 3rd place guy, Jason Terry). Most people would concede that they were the 2 best high volume 3 point shooters in NBA history. The most 3 pointers that Allen ever made in a season was 269, the most that Miller made was 229 (when the line was shorter). Steph Curry is on pace to hit 418.

The NBA record for career 3 pt % is held by Steve Kerr, at .454. Curry is shooting better than that this year, while averaging 11 attempts per game. Curry's % would be among the top 50 single season marks ever, and he's doing that while on pace to break the record for attempts by 232.

Curry is redefining what's possible when it comes to perimeter shooting. If not, if Curry is just an outlier and no one else comes along anytime soon who's at least near him, then what does that say about Curry?

The obvious answer to your last question would mean that he had the best individual offensive season of all time. If he puts it together over the course of the 5 or 6 years and couples that scoring output with a few more titles, then it would also say he is possibly the greatest of all time as an overall player.

The direction of my point, however, was merely that it still needs to happen for a longer period of time; and that labeling him the GOAT over a career, as the OP implied, is objectively premature.

Now if folks want to talk GOAT in terms of individual seasons, shooting, or shorter-term offensive output, I think that's an entirely different argument; and it's clear Curry would certainly have an overwhelming case to make for his brilliant performance the last two seasons.

 

[mj2k10]

The obvious answer to your last question would mean that he had the best individual offensive season of all time. If he puts it together over the course of the 5 or 6 years and couples that scoring output with a few more titles, then it would also say he is possibly the greatest of all time as an overall player.

The direction of my point, however, was merely that it still needs to happen for a longer period of time; and that labeling him the GOAT over a career, as the OP implied, is objectively premature.

Now if folks want to talk GOAT in terms of individual seasons, shooting, or shorter-term offensive output, I think that's an entirely different argument; and it's clear Curry would certainly have an overwhelming case to make for his brilliant performance the last two seasons.

And I agree with that. As long as someone makes that argument, not the argument that what Curry is doing right now somehow isn't really all that special.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

The obvious answer to your last question would mean that he had the best individual offensive season of all time. If he puts it together over the course of the 5 or 6 years and couples that scoring output with a few more titles, then it would also say he is possibly the greatest of all time as an overall player.

The direction of my point, however, was merely that it still needs to happen for a longer period of time; and that labeling him the GOAT over a career, as the OP implied, is objectively premature.

Now if folks want to talk GOAT in terms of individual seasons, shooting, or shorter-term offensive output, I think that's an entirely different argument; and it's clear Curry would certainly have an overwhelming case to make for his brilliant performance the last two seasons.

This. He'll need to sustain this for awhile to be in the conversation. But what hes doing right now is GOAT-like. Not just the production so much as the efficiency. fivethirtyeight.com had a story on his efficiency. It was insane. His efficiency barely even fit on the graph compared to others. He was THAT efficient.

 

[Aike]

Lebron never should have been in the GOAT discussion.

Curry is getting rather close. I have to watch him for next 3-4 years.

Article below is interesting. Talks about good/bad shot. Like i said to someone on here before..cough cough

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/stephen-curry-is-the-revolution/

That's a great article. Still doesn't mean that he NEVER takes ill-advised shots. Granted his bad looks are better shots than anyone else's.

 

[mj2k10]

That's a great article. Still doesn't mean that he NEVER takes ill-advised shots. Granted his bad looks are better shots than anyone else's.

Then they aren't really bad shots- a concept you can't seem to grasp. You don't measure a player against perfection, you measure a player against every other player who's ever played the game.

A Kobe fanboy like you should totally understand the idea that you have to give your best player leeway to make some mistakes. No one has ever represented that idea more than the Mamba. And no one in basketball history has made fewer bad decisions (i.e., taken bad shots) than Steph Curry is right now.

 

[Aike]

Then they aren't really bad shots- a concept you can't seem to grasp. You don't measure a player against perfection, you measure a player against every other player who's ever played the game.

A Kobe fanboy like you should totally understand the idea that you have to give your best player leeway to make some mistakes. No one has ever represented that idea more than the Mamba. And no one in basketball history has made fewer bad decisions (i.e., taken bad shots) than Steph Curry is right now.

Calm down. I meant to say that his bad looks are better than other players' bad looks.

And I hate to break it to you, but you've never typed a single word that I couldn't grasp.

The sad thing is that I essentially agree with you. You want to blow things up into arguments that aren't really even points of contention.

My only disagreement was with Wildmoon's comment that none of Curry's shots are bad.

Some of them are, but he obviously deserves a ton of leeway. I never said or implied that he didn't deserve his heat check moments. This is pretty stupid how you keep putting words in my mouth just so you have something to argue about.

Saying no one in the history of the NBA has made fewer bad decisions? Can't go along with that. If you want to discuss that point calmly, I'm game. If you want to continue shouting about me being a "fanboy" or how "butthurt" I am, leave me out.

 

[WildMoon]

no fighting kids!

 

[Aike]

no fighting kids!

Lol

 

[Aike]

Anybody want to talk about Paul George?