The Curry hype machine is unstoppable right now. I have to admit, greatest shooting season I have ever seen. But everybody is talking about greatest single performance season ever etc...not sure I agree with that. MJ had a 38/8/8 season with superb defense and I'm sure many other great seasons from great players are there. But dayum, Curry can shoot like I have never seen before.
Honestly, from an offensive perspective, this might be the greatest thing we have ever seen in the modern NBA. If we're talking about one season, has there been a better one?
I'll say offensively maybe it's the greatest. Overall? I'd still say Jordan, Wilt, and Kobe have had better years. Curry is no defensive stalwart like those guys were. I'd also put up guys like Shaq, Kareem, Hakeem, Magic... They've all had better complete seasons. Offensively? Curry is one of the most unguardable, electric, and exciting players I've ever seen.
I'm not sure this was directed at my post, but I used Kobe's best season as a comparison to Curry's because that was one of the best season's I've ever witnessed and was sort of the measuring stick. Curry though, this season, is better than Kobe's best season. So technically, right now, Curry is better than Kobe ever was. He's also better than Jordan ever was for this season. But it's just this one season we are talking about. Curry was the MVP last year, and I think Kobe had 2-3 seasons better than his year last year. But Curry has been so good this season, he could make a legitimate case for Most Improved player despite winning the MVP last season. So is Curry a better player than Kobe? No. Kobe was amazing for 16 straight years. Curry has only been on this level for two seasons. If Curry strings together 6-7 more seasons at his current level, then you have to start the conversation.
I think in those seasons Kobe was putting up immortal offensive numbers, he wasn't great defensively. He wasn't bad by any stretch, but he was winning all-defense honors on reputation only. That's not a knock on Kobe. His usage rate on offense was so high and he was carrying such a burden, he couldn't play balls out on the defensive end too. But when he had to he could still lock someone down. Something Curry will never be able to do.
Well yeah I agree, but you made my point at the end. Kobe when he wanted to or needed to be was a World Class defender. He could lock you down if he needed to and that went for PGs, SGs, and SFs. When Kobe was playing most PFs and Cs were post guys so maybe not them because he was too small. I think TODAY Kobe in his prime, on occasion, could defend a lot of 4s and some 5s since most of them like to dribble out on the perimeter and take jumpers. Kobe was also a pretty great help defender in his prime able to come up with help blocks and passing lane steals. Curry physically cant. That's not knock on him because Steph will exhaust you on the other end, but it's just the truth.
KD: 39 mins, 30 pts on 12/27 shooting, 11 rebounds, 5 blocks Westbrook: 37 mins, 24 points on 8/21 shooting, 6 Rebs, 12 assists These two are crazy good, but OKC aren't going to win it all if the rest of the team are scoring single digit. Ibaka is decent but shouldn't be your third best player, everyone else are scrubs.
Remember when they had James Harden and Serge Ibaka was their perfect 4th option? Then they let Harden go in favor of amnestying Porkins? Then they get rid of Porkins anyway? Then they had Reggie Jackson and traded him for... something? If I were KD I'd get out this summer. Management has made it clear they don't know how to build a winner.
Durant has to play better in the fourth quarter though. Did a poor job overdribbling, turned it over six times, took some poor contested shots, and defense wasn't stellar either. Ibaka doesn't look like the same player on either end of the court right now. There were a number of missed helps by him. Westbrook took that God awful shot to tie the game when there was still 10 plus seconds remaining. Really just a total team collapse by them.
Side note: of course it was Cleveland that drafted him fourth. Missed out on Lillard, Harriso Barnes, Drummond.
Cleveland's front office sucks too. I don't know if it's the same one that was there for LeBron's first seasons, but either way they both suck. First time around they were always making deals for players they thought could get them further, whether they fit or not, were overrated, were on bad contracts, didn't matter. In recent times they draft Bennett and Waiters that early, and they trade Wiggins before he plays a game for them.
