Last season, Stephen A. Smith was one of the first national commentators to predict that the Warriors would return to the throne as NBA Champions.
Smith doesn’t think a repeat is out of the realm of possibility in 2023, especially with Steph Curry still shocking the world. The longtime ESPN analyst joined 95.7 The Game’s “Steiny & Guru” Monday to talk Dubs and give his thoughts on Curry becoming the first player to ever drop 50 points in a Game 7.
“I thought it was one of the most sensational performances I have ever seen in all my games of covering the sport,” Smith told hosts Matt Steinmetz and Daryle ‘The Guru’ Johnson. “50 points on 20-of-38 shooting, 7-of-18 from 3-point range, the ball-handling skills, the maneuvering through the paint, scoring 22 points in the paint area, doing things that he was doing. Every basket seemed to be needed.”
Every time Steph does something amazing and ignites thoughts of another Warriors title run, we dust off old debates. Is Curry better than LeBron? Better than Jordan? Better than Magic?
Smith said Steph has vaulted himself ahead of Magic Johnson, in his eyes.
“Somebody wants to debate who’s better or not as a point guard – fine,” Smith said. “Because they wanna look at quintessential point guards, distributing the basketball and running an offense, they wanna say that’s Magic. Here’s what I say – tell me that I have a choice to have Steph Curry or Earvin ‘ Magic’ Johnson. I have gotten to the point – even before yesterday – where I would pick Steph Curry. I would want Steph Curry.”
Lakers fans probably won’t like that take – as the two California behemoths are getting set to open their second-round series on Tuesday in San Francisco.
So, where does Curry belong in the ranking of all-time greats? Smith pointed out that Steph has a 23-4 all-time record in playoff series, a winning percentage that is in rarefied air.
“The one definitive Hall of Famer and winner who has a better playoff winning percentage than Steph Curry is Bill Russell,” Smith said. “That is it. That is what we’re talking about here.”
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