Curry's defensive RPM may be in the red, but it ranks 26th out of 93 qualified names. Plus, point guard remains a difficult position. The Warriors are also less stingy around the rim than they were in years past, and there's an increased emphasis on assigning Curry to standstillers and non-shooters as he plays deeper into his 30s. He isn't breaking up as many-half-court plays or holding up as well versus dribble drives.ĭefensive slippage might be unavoidable. He isn't averaging nearly as many assists, and he's on track to finish as a below-average defender for the first time since 2013-14, according to 's Real Plus-Minus. That will invariably ring hollow in comparison to his masterful 2015-16 campaign. The result: He is more unguardable and more efficient than he's ever been. What he's doing now is more so part of an ongoing expansion. He's honed his from-scratch finesse for years. This is not an abrupt additive to Curry's game. He's using fewer dribbles to get off shots, but he's taking slightly more contested threes than he did back then, and his 46.5 percent clip on those blows 2015-16's mark ( 40.4 ) out of the water: He's averaging close to one attempt from between 30 and 34 feet per game, almost triple that of his 2015-16 volume. His is a near-constant balancing act, with a mandate to transition from lifeline to complement.Ĭurry is finding room for trademark haymakers anyway. Curry's job is arguably more complicated from a functional standpoint. The integration of Kevin Durant has taken it a step further. Playing off others comes with Golden State's superstar goulash.ĭraymond Green's playmaking rise first fudged the parameters of Curry's style. Note: Tracking data only goes back to 2013-14.įewer of his shots are coming on these looks, and almost 55 percent of his made baskets are assisted on-a career high. ![]() It would not be a stretch to say that Curry has never been more efficient, mostly because it's true. His clutch numbers follow this same 2015-16ish trend. Just look at how his per-36-minute splits stack up: Curry's numbers are too eerily similar to his last MVP crusade for this to be spun as an inflammatory topic unfitting of debate. Even if he plays in every game to finish the year (he won't), his availability will be used to discredit his MVP case or become a crutchy asterisk following his potential victory.Īnyone inclined to write off this subject begins running out of road there. A groin injury has already cost him 11 outings. Naturally, then, Curry is forcing the issue less than a half-decade later.Ĭould this, his age-30 season, be his best yet?Ĭurry will never match the raw-volume magic from his 2015-16 romp. ![]() It is not even something that should be a common basis of comparison for him or anyone else's standout displays. Curry's 2015-16 is not something to take lightly. But anyone who rivals Wilt The Stilt means business. Yes, the rise of the three-point shot has opened the door for cumulative milestones to be shattered. He narrowly outstripped 1961-62 Wilt Chamberlain, who averaged a cool 48.5 minutes per game, 14.3 more than his eventual successor. No one has added more total offensive value to his team than 2015-16 Curry, according to NBA Math.
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