Stephen Curry defies logic in his quest for Most Valuable Player and second straight championship
Throughout the decades, a fair share of superstars have electrified the NBA. Some elicit dropped jaws, some attract zealous fandom and some perform on such a level that their accolades appear to transcend reality. All of these are applicable for Stephen Curry. The Golden State Warriors guard and reigning Most Valuable Player is performing at such a level that he has many wondering how such historic greatness is even possible.
Curry is leading the league in scoring, averaging 30.7 points per game, while shooting a remarkably efficient 51.5 percent from the field. What’s more, Curry is knocking down 3-pointers at an impressive 46.8 percent clip, while hitting 90.8 percent of his free throws.
Any analyst would be remiss, however, to dwindle Curry’s greatness down to just a few statistics. It is the manner in which Curry has dominated the league that has cast him into superstardom comparable to all-time greats LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and the like.
During the 2012 to 2013 season, Curry claimed his hard-earned title as the game’s best shooter, setting a new NBA record for three-point field goals made in a season, finishing the year with 272. That record would not stand for long, however, as Curry went on to break his own record last season, finishing the year with 286 made three-point field goals. Remarkably, Curry has yet again upended himself, already breaking the 286 mark while still being approximately two months away from the end of the 2015 to 2016 regular season.
As of Sunday, Curry had knocked down 288 3-pointers and has proven time and again the consistent touch that will inevitably result in his sure obliteration of the three-point record by the season’s completion. What is more, in a recent matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Curry tied the NBA record for most completed three-point field goals in a game finishing the night with twelve made triples. The twelfth three came in incredible fashion, as Curry sunk the Thunder with a buzzer-beating, game-winning, half-court 3-pointer, knocking it down with apparent ease.
Said ease is what makes Curry more than just a superstar. Curry has served as the catalyst for the best offense in the league and has scored at the shocking volume he has, all while dishing out 6.6 assists per-game and playing sufficiently hard-nosed defense, ensuring his game has no exploitable holes.
Beyond his transcendent shooting and passing abilities, Curry is one of the league’s most competent ball-handlers, exhibiting moves that seem to indicate he has the basketball on a string when he dribbles down the court.
No, Curry is no ordinary superstar. Curry appears to be playing in a world of his own, reaching heights to which no legend before him has come close. Curry, however, appears more concerned with the Warriors’ chances of repeating as champions in a league that is getting better with each passing year.
As of Sunday, the Warriors were 53-5 and showing all signs of being poised to not only capture a second straight title but to break the all-time record for most wins in a regular season as well. According to a recently published statistical analysis by Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, the Warriors have a 45 percent chance of tying the 1996 to 1997 Chicago Bulls record of 72 wins and a 31 percent chance of claiming what would be the record-breaking 73rd win this season.
Whether the Warriors break the record or not, Curry’s head-scratching brilliance has many wondering if he is in the midst of the greatest individual season of all time. Though such a debate is a lofty one, it may be time to acknowledge the very real possibility that Curry’s dominance is entirely unprecedented.
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