We’ve heard countless players describe what it’s like to guard Steph Curry – and it doesn’t sound fun.
On the latest episode of the ‘All The Smoke’ podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Lakers guard Austin Reaves gave an honest account of what it’s like to chase Steph around the floor all night.
“It’s honestly hell,” Reaves said. “Just the way he moves without the ball. It’s honestly their system, too. It fits him to perfection. You literally can’t ever relax. I remember Game 1 and 2, chasing him and Klay around, and I couldn’t make a shot. Everybody’s looking at me, like, ‘Why can’t you make a shot?’ I’m like ‘I ain’t got no legs!’”
The Lakers eventually won the series in six games to bounce the Warriors out of the playoffs in the second round. But as Reaves noted, he was too winded to make an offensive impact in the first three games of the series, shooting 32.1 percent from the floor and 28.6 percent from 3-point land.
It’s also worth noting that Steph finally ran out of magic against the Lakers after he willed the Warriors to a seven-game series win over the Kings in the first round. For the entire series, Curry shot 43.9 percent from the field and 34.3 percent from 3-point land, well below his career averages, while posting 26.7 points, 7.5 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game.
After his first postseason experience against Curry, Reaves has nothing but respect for No. 30.
“His approach to the game too is special, just the way that he sees the game and the way that he goes about the game,” Reaves said. “It was a lot of fun to play them. Obviously, happy that we won, but it was hell to guard him.”
