As the Warriors get set to play the Lakers, Steph Curry will once again be pitted against LeBron James in the playoffs, though they’re more used to facing off in the NBA Finals.
But after Curry dropped 50 points to ensure his Warriors would survive the first round and secure a matchup with LeBron’s Lakers, Craig Hoffman had to raise the question: is Curry a top-10 player in NBA history?
Running through the accolades and the numbers, it’s hard to argue against it.
“Undisputed, he is the best shooter ever,” Craig said. He is the most accomplished, he is the one you would say is the best at it based on the eye test, the whole thing.
“Steph is doing it while shooting about 10 3-pointers a game in the playoffs. He’s the all-time leader overall in makes, second behind Kyle Korver in percentage among players who have taken at least 5,000 attempts…He’s been the best player on multiple championship teams, even if you think KD was the better player on the 2017 and 2018 championship teams.”
Looking at advanced stats, and how the Warriors have performed in Curry’s prime (which is still ongoing), Curry’s value is unparalleled.
“They trounce teams when he is on the floor, and when he comes off, there is a wild swing in the other direction,” Craig said. “It is important to point out how much he elevates the Klays and the Draymonds…Since 2015, they have won double the amount of championships as lost playoff series. During that time, he hasn’t lost a series in the Western Conference.
“He has generationally impacted the game.”