Something changes when Stephen Curry gets heated. He still dribbles the same ball. He also tosses the basket at it. Curry is celebrating basketball, though, even while basketball is being played all around him.
It is art, in fact. About his superstar’s performance on Tuesday night, Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr remarked, “There’s something beautiful in it.” “What he’s doing now is unheard of in the history of the game.”
Curry outscored the Philadelphia 76ers by 49 points. He had more than 30 points for the eleventh consecutive occasion. There has never been an NBA player over 33 who has accomplished this. For his age, he also holds the record with five games in a month with at least 40 points. Two-time MVP (2015, 2016) Curry is playing at his best. Furthermore, he is the NBA’s lifeblood right now.
The all-time greatest pitcher
One thing that the point guard excels at more than anything else is throwing. Best viewed from a distance. For the twenty-first time in his career, he made at least ten three-pointers against the 76ers. A lonely log. With only five games played, his colleague Klay Thompson is in second place behind him.
Although there is no denying that Curry is among the greatest long-range shooters in NBA history, the “fascination of Curry” hardly scratches the surface. It doesn’t, after all, describe his effortless style of playing, his humor and dances, his flare, or, most importantly, the euphoria he causes in both fans and other players. Among all the giants in the NBA, Stephen Curry, who stands 1.91 meters “small,” is the most exciting player. And it appears to be more crucial than ever at this moment.
The greatest long-range shooter in NBA history is Stephen Curry.
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The greatest long-range shooter in NBA history is Stephen Curry. Image: Mary Holt/Reuters/USA TODAY Sports
The NBA is a show league; spectacle and stars are its lifeblood. However, it currently has issues: In addition to the arenas being mainly deserted because to Corona, some names that often guarantee high ratings are absent as well: Injured players include LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Jimmy Butler, Jimmy Murray, Donovan Mitchell, and Klay Thompson. This season has been beset by injuries, and these high-profile collapses are merely the beginning.
The playoffs, which begin on May 22nd, are quickly drawing near, and many teams have begun to go into energy-saving mode. If it weren’t for Stephen Curry, the league’s constant highlight machine, which is already facing declining viewership, there may finally be a lack of entertainment in the postseason.
Chances assure Curry
The 33-year-old has created a new playmaker archetype, with his long-range shooting and ball handling as his two main talents. Curry moves up to shoot as soon as he is not heavily guarded at the three-point line. He used his extensive repertoire of dribbling maneuvers and body tricks to elude his opponents and finish close to the basket if he was being closely guarded.
The Boston Celtics were unable to respond to this mix last Sunday. In addition to scoring 47 points, Curry made 11 of his 19 three-pointers and a very tough circus shot. Curry coolness was evident throughout the performance, complete with dancing routines, applause gestures, quips, and wide smiles.
The majority of the fans were probably uninterested in the fact that the Warriors lost the game by a close margin (114:119). The Curry Show attracted 2.49 million viewers, the most since early February. Curry and the Warriors were the teams the Brooklyn Nets faced at the time.
NBA’s three-point shooting boom
The playmaker is scoring 40.8 points per game on average this month. Despite having numerous challenging shots, he hits 50.3% of his three-pointers, accounting for more than half of his total points from long range. To put things in perspective, 36.7 percent is the league average.
The three-point shot was utilized differently in 2009, when Curry entered the league. more compliant. A squad attempted 18.1 long-distance throws per game on average. Currently, the number is nearly twice as high (34.6). So far this month, Curry has “taken,” as basketball players put it, 14.3 three-pointers per game.
Stephen Curry is challenging to stop.
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Stephen Curry is challenging to stop. John Bazemore/AP photo
Curry is not the only reason why players are depending more and more on long throws. He demonstrated what can be achieved by reconsidering the game. when you shoot more threes than other shots, whether they are made from behind the three-point line, while dribbling, or at full speed. All of these throws were thought to be too challenging to be effective for a very long time. Curry disproved this notion and motivated a generation.
Young players like Trae Young and Luka Doncic, as well as more established players like Damian Lillard, James Harden, and even LeBron James, have aspects of Curry’s game in their repertoire.
Curry by himself is insufficient for the Warriors.
Curry is extremely valuable to the NBA. As a basketball player, he effortlessly blends effectiveness and fun. He goes with the flow; nothing looks forced. Curry entered the second tier without any public outcry when Kevin Durant, a greater player rather than pitcher, played for Golden State from 2017 to 2019. He was injured for nearly the whole 2019–2020 season. He’s back now, and he’s playing with more dominance than before.
Curry is currently the greatest scorer in Warriors history, surpassing NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain. He also leads the league in scoring with 31.4 points per game and is a strong MVP candidate. The Warriors are ninth in the West, and aside from Curry and without the injured Thompson, Golden State is devoid of skill. The only thing that is probably missing is team success.
Even so, the NBA benefits from that. Since it appears that Curry is now endorsing the Play-In Tournament, the league’s most recent initiative.
Only the top six teams in each conference will be able to advance to the playoffs as of this year. Four teams are battling behind them for the final two spots in a knockout competition. One thing is certain despite the controversy surrounding the new mode: fans will watch wherever Stephen Curry plays.