While LeBron James is rightfully acclaimed as the best NBA player of this generation, he believes Stephen Curry changed the game when he entered the league.
in Be careful with game podsJames explained that Curry “single-handedly changed the 'no lead is safe' narrative in the NBA.”
The Los Angeles Lakers superstar even compared the way Curry makes NBA teams feel to what Patrick Mahomes makes his opponents feel in the NFL.
JJ Redick started the conversation because when he first entered the league, the most playing time he got was when his team was leading by 19 points at the start of the fourth quarter, which was considered trash time. Ta.
But now each team will have their starters out to start the fourth quarter in a 19-point game.
Curry's willingness to pull up from anywhere on the court meant that defensemen had to be on high alert at all times or risk being hit when attempting a 32-foot shot.
There's also the issue of trying to disrupt Curry's shots because he's so quick to release the ball as soon as it touches his hands.
During the Golden State Warriors' rise in the 2010s, it wasn't uncommon for them to erase huge deficits quickly. In Game 3 of the 2015 first-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans, he erased a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
In a December 2013 game against the Toronto Raptors, Curry scored 14 of the Warriors' 42 points in the fourth quarter, turning an 88-70 deficit into a 113-102 victory.
When Curry first entered the NBA in 2009-10, he averaged 18.1 three-point attempts per game. This average remained the same for three consecutive seasons, from 2007-08 to 2009-10.
After a slight drop to 18.0 attempts per game in the 2010-11 season, it increased in each of the next 11 seasons, reaching a high of 35.2 in the 2021-22 season.
Curry has averaged at least 9.8 3-pointers per game for nine consecutive seasons, including the 2023-24 season. He's also achieved them at a staggering 42.6% rate over his career.
Redick, by comparison, is considered one of the best shooters in NBA history. He has completed 41.5% of his attempts from behind the arc in his career.
