Stephen Curry’s Greatness Against San Antonio Spurs Ties a Michael Jordan Record
Stephen Curry just cooked up another vintage performance against the San Antonio Spurs. It took the spotlight off Victor Wembanyma’a’s MVP campaign and reminded people that size is not all that matters. O
Curry Tied Jordan’s Record For Most 40-Point Games After Turning 30
This does not sound like a big deal until you think about it. After 30 is when most athletes come out of their primes and start declining, and the Curry we see now isn’t the same as the one from 2016.
This latest achievement shows how he’s stayed on top of his game as he nears 40. In 2015-16, he averaged 30.1 points, and nine years later, he averaged 24.5 points. That longevity is what helped GOATs become GOATs.
One of the biggest arguments for LeBron James being the GOAT is his incredible longevity, and this shows both Jordan and one of his biggest rivals, Curry, have their own longevity cases, too. This season, Curry has had back-to-back 40+ point games against the Spurs.
Curry’s Game Will Age Well
Everyone knows that he’s one, if not the greatest, shooter of all time (I’d argue Klay Thompson is better, but that’s a different article. Curry is also one of the best ball-handlers in the history of the game. Now, when people think of ball handling, they think of the always ankle-breaking slashes of Allen Iverson or the creativity of Kyrie Irving. Both of them used speed as an important part of their game.
That’s where Curry is different. While he’s as crafty as an Irving now or a prime James Harden, he’s always relied way less on speed compared to a prime Irving, Iverson, or Harden. That’s why he isn’t a catch-and-shoot player right now.
His moves are more about fooling his defenders and leaving them standing still instead of aiming to break ankles. This means that he focused more on the fundamentals and, therefore, can handle the ball almost like he did at 26.
Not to mention, the younger, more athletic guards such as Ja Morant or LaMelo Ball have struggled to stay on the floor in recent years.
The Downside Of Curry’s Longevity
Curry will continue to be a great player. Jimmy Butler is a great sidekick for him, and they have a solid supporting cast that could be better if Steve Kerr ever figured out how to implement Jonathan Kuminga into his system.
But right now the Warriors are eighth in the Western Conference, and their supporting cast, even at its best, doesn’t look nearly as good as the Thunder, Rockets, and Nuggets. The Warriors should do what they did to Monta Ellis.
They should trade away their star players and tank for a few years while giving Kuminga the wheel. I know Curry is much better than Ellis, but the Warriors, for as much as they want to, aren’t in a spot to make the most of his final years. They should focus on the future and trade Curry to a contender to make everyone happy.
