Will Steph Curry end up better than Jordan, Kobe, Magic, Lebron?

[Walter Sobchak]

Throughout his career he's been dominated in both the power forward and center positions whenever he's been put in that position.
All players can play every position. Doesn't mean they are good at it (just like Lebron isn't), lol. Just a bad/overused phrase that's not true. A point guard could play center but be terrible at it.

Only guard I remember playing center and doing well at it was Magic Johnson.

Hard to believe that guy was a homo

[Wiggs]

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/12/4/9841438/stephen-curry-scoring-charts-michael-jordan

Stephen Curry is scoring better than Michael Jordan ever did

I've acknowledged that Stephen Curry is probably the best shooter of all-time. We've acknowledged that Stephen Curry is probably the best basketball player in the world at the moment. It's not enough. Stephen Curry might be having the best individual scoring season of the modern era.

Comparing current players with the heydays of Wilt and Oscar is notoriously difficult. Clearly the fabric of the game is different. But looking at the best scoring seasons since the advent of the three-point line and the ABA merger is a bit cleaner in terms of comparison, and it puts Steph's 2015-16 in a class of its own.

Steph's True Shooting Percentage is 70. Seventy. SEVENTY.

True Shooting Percentage measures efficiency while giving players credit for threes and free throws. The calculation is pretty simple: points per shooting possession divided by two. Shooting possessions are either field goal attempts or trips to the foul line. As such, the estimate for shooting possessions is 0.44 times free throw attempts plus FGAs. The average NBA player scores about 1.1 points per shooting possession for a True Shooting of 55 percent. This bounces around a bit season to season, but the average is generally in that zone.

Stephen Curry's True Shooting Percentage is 70. He's scoring 1.4 points per shooting possession. Is that crazy? That is crazy. How crazy? Only three players in the history of the NBA who played at least 500 minutes finished a season with a True Shooting Percentage at 70 or higher. Curry is shooting twice as many shots per game as any other member of that list.

Curry is doing it on more than 20 FGAs per game. The next-highest recorded True Shooting Percentage for a player attempting 20 FGAs or more per game is Kevin Durant's 63.5 in 2014. The gap between Curry and No. 2 Durant on this list is the same as the gap between No. 2 Durant and No. 44 on the list. Check out the top 10 True Shooting Percentages for a player who averaged at least 20 FGAs per game.

Steph is destroying the 50-40-90 club's scoring record

This exclusive club represents players who shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent on threes and 90 percent from the line. It's only been done for a full season four times by 20-ppg scorers: Larry Bird twice, and Durant and Dirk Nowitzki once each. The highest scoring average for a 50-40-90 member was Bird's 29.9 points per game in 1988. Curry's at 32 points per game while playing five fewer minutes per game. If Curry played 39 minutes per game as Bird did, his scoring average would be a shade under 37 points per game at his current rate.

What's more, Curry isn't just shooting 50-40-90. He's shooting 52-46-94. It is conceivable that he could someday invent the 60-50-95 club.

Best modern scoring season?

In the three-point era, 33 players have averaged at least 30 points per game in a season. Curry is currently at 32 points per game, which would be good for No. 12 in the modern era. Among all those 30 ppg scorers, Curry uses the fewest shooting possessions per game and plays the fewest minutes. And his team is 20-0.

Jordan's the only player in the modern era who won the title the same season he averaged 30 per game ... and Jordan did it four times. Allen Iverson is the only other player to do it in a season in which his team made the finals. But Iverson's efficiency was always below league-average and Curry's per-minute scoring is higher than that of The Answer. A.I. is not in this conversation.

The options when you ignore team record and postseason success are Jordan's 1987-90 seasons, Kobe's 2006 and Durant's 2014. Here's how those shape up.

[Wiggs]

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/stephen-curry-is-the-revolution/

Read this.

Curry is unlike any other. 

[El Diablo Blanco]

Not even close.

Jordan would outright school Curry.

And obviously the hemphead nurse has forgotten how good Magic Johnson was in his prime.

A very weak troll thread.

You're kidding right?  Curry can dribble like no other, maybe Iverson was faster but not nearly as accurate a shooter.

[Pray_4_War]

Throughout his career he's been dominated in both the power forward and center positions whenever he's been put in that position.
All players can play every position. Doesn't mean they are good at it (just like Lebron isn't), lol. Just a bad/overused phrase that's not true. A point guard could play center but be terrible at it.

I think both of you are right.

I think what's important with Lebron is not that he can guard every position well man to man, but rather he his size and athleticism allows his team to switch on a lot of plays.  High pick and roll especially which is big in the league right now.  His teams aren't forced to have guys trying to fight through screens.  Lebron can hang for a few seconds of the shot clock with most guys without getting blown by or physically bullied so they just switch.  I don't think Lebron can guard all 5 positions in the tradition sense but what he can do allows his team greater defensive flexibility.  Magic Johnson was like this also and I think it's a pretty big deal.  You are starting to see teams like Golden State value that kind of defensive versatility and they really don't play in a traditional way.

I'm no fan of Lebron but I do respect him for what he can do on the floor.  He's not better than Kareem, MJ, Magic, Bird, Kobe or Tim Duncan though.  He needs to accomplish more in the post season before he can take those guys down.  The comparison I make with Lebron is Peyton Manning,  he takes on probably the most responsibility for his teams so in that way he's the most valuable.  However, taking on the most responsibility doesn't make you greater or better than Tom Brady, or Michael Jordan or whoever.  Those guys consistently got it done in the post season.  Year after year after year.  They came up big for their teams when everything was on the line.  Concrete legacies based on actual results, not almosts.

[Walter Sobchak]

You're kidding right?  Curry can dribble like no other, maybe Iverson was faster but not nearly as accurate a shooter.

You think Stephanie Curry is ready to take on Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson in their primes?

Oh lord, I guess a weak between the legs dribble means superstar status with today's generation.

[Pray_4_War]

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2015/12/4/9841438/stephen-curry-scoring-charts-michael-jordan

Stephen Curry is scoring better than Michael Jordan ever did

I've acknowledged that Stephen Curry is probably the best shooter of all-time. We've acknowledged that Stephen Curry is probably the best basketball player in the world at the moment. It's not enough. Stephen Curry might be having the best individual scoring season of the modern era.

Comparing current players with the heydays of Wilt and Oscar is notoriously difficult. Clearly the fabric of the game is different. But looking at the best scoring seasons since the advent of the three-point line and the ABA merger is a bit cleaner in terms of comparison, and it puts Steph's 2015-16 in a class of its own.

Steph's True Shooting Percentage is 70. Seventy. SEVENTY.

True Shooting Percentage measures efficiency while giving players credit for threes and free throws. The calculation is pretty simple: points per shooting possession divided by two. Shooting possessions are either field goal attempts or trips to the foul line. As such, the estimate for shooting possessions is 0.44 times free throw attempts plus FGAs. The average NBA player scores about 1.1 points per shooting possession for a True Shooting of 55 percent. This bounces around a bit season to season, but the average is generally in that zone.

Stephen Curry's True Shooting Percentage is 70. He's scoring 1.4 points per shooting possession. Is that crazy? That is crazy. How crazy? Only three players in the history of the NBA who played at least 500 minutes finished a season with a True Shooting Percentage at 70 or higher. Curry is shooting twice as many shots per game as any other member of that list.

Curry is doing it on more than 20 FGAs per game. The next-highest recorded True Shooting Percentage for a player attempting 20 FGAs or more per game is Kevin Durant's 63.5 in 2014. The gap between Curry and No. 2 Durant on this list is the same as the gap between No. 2 Durant and No. 44 on the list. Check out the top 10 True Shooting Percentages for a player who averaged at least 20 FGAs per game.

Steph is destroying the 50-40-90 club's scoring record

This exclusive club represents players who shoot 50 percent from the field, 40 percent on threes and 90 percent from the line. It's only been done for a full season four times by 20-ppg scorers: Larry Bird twice, and Durant and Dirk Nowitzki once each. The highest scoring average for a 50-40-90 member was Bird's 29.9 points per game in 1988. Curry's at 32 points per game while playing five fewer minutes per game. If Curry played 39 minutes per game as Bird did, his scoring average would be a shade under 37 points per game at his current rate.

What's more, Curry isn't just shooting 50-40-90. He's shooting 52-46-94. It is conceivable that he could someday invent the 60-50-95 club.

Best modern scoring season?

In the three-point era, 33 players have averaged at least 30 points per game in a season. Curry is currently at 32 points per game, which would be good for No. 12 in the modern era. Among all those 30 ppg scorers, Curry uses the fewest shooting possessions per game and plays the fewest minutes. And his team is 20-0.

Jordan's the only player in the modern era who won the title the same season he averaged 30 per game ... and Jordan did it four times. Allen Iverson is the only other player to do it in a season in which his team made the finals. But Iverson's efficiency was always below league-average and Curry's per-minute scoring is higher than that of The Answer. A.I. is not in this conversation.

The options when you ignore team record and postseason success are Jordan's 1987-90 seasons, Kobe's 2006 and Durant's 2014. Here's how those shape up.

Dog, you don't think the rule changes and the other changes to the game(aka small ball and analytics) isn't a big part of that.

Michael Jordan could dominate in any era,  Steph is a player who just happens to perfectly fits the style of the current NBA.  Put him in the 80's and things change, I feel strongly about that.

That doesn't mean that Steph won't go down as one of the greats but his statistics are gonna be skewed.  Just like how pace and FG% skew the rebounding stats in the 1960s.  Wilt and Russell aren't getting 25 rebounds a game in todays NBA.  6'5" Elgin Baylor isn't gonna average 19 or 20 rebounds and be a better rebounder than Dennis Rodman.  Numbers sometimes lie.

[The_Iron_Disciple]

What a joke of a thread. My half-negro side shudders when you post, Wiggs. Steph isn't fit to even dine in the same restaurant as Jordan. Now excuse while I go vomit.

[USMC 1371]

Such a different game now. No way does Curry shoot this good in the late 80's. The first time Curry watches his shot go in like a hot head he'd receive the Piston beat down. Guys not only got roughed up physically, they were beat down mentally.  They actually were scared to go against teams or certain players.  The NBA (and most sports) no longer allows bullies.  Would Curry shoot so good if he knew he was going to get elbowed in the ribs by Isiah Thomas when he boxed out?  I don't think so.

[Wiggs]

What a joke of a thread. My half-negro side shudders when you post, Wiggs. Steph isn't fit to even dine in the same restaurant as Jordan. Now excuse while I go vomit.

Hebrew, were going to have to get used to the idea that Curry is the best.  As I stated in my original post, at the end of his career assuming he doesn't get injured, he'll end up being the best all time.  Jordan can't touch his numbers.  I guess we'll see. As i stated, only the Spurs stand in his way.  Jordan is Jordan but people have made an idol of him and believe he can do no wrong and can't be surpassed.  Curry is the best shooter all time and hopefully in the end barring injury ends up being the best all time.  I'm still a Spur fan. But Curry is the truth. It's known that I'm not a fan of Jordan as a person. He's a grade A piece of shit BUT, he's the greatest ball player all time...for now.

[Wiggs]

Such a different game now. No way does Curry shoot this good in the late 80's. The first time Curry watches his shot go in like a hot head he'd receive the Piston beat down. Guys not only got roughed up physically, they were beat down mentally.  They actually were scared to go against teams or certain players.  The NBA (and most sports) no longer allows bullies.  Would Curry shoot so good if he knew he was going to get elbowed in the ribs by Isiah Thomas when he boxed out?  I don't think so.

Come on Devil Dog. None of that is Curry's concern or problem. While there may be some truth to your statement, his shooting percentage is his shooting percentage.  Let's not forget that Jordan had the refs hanging on his nuts alot and got a lot of calls.  That's not talked about.

[Wiggs]

[Walter Sobchak]

Hebrew, were going to have to get used to the idea that Curry is the best.  As I stated in my original post, at the end of his career assuming he doesn't get injured, he'll end up being the best all time.  Jordan can't touch his numbers.  I guess we'll see. As i stated, only the Spurs stand in his way.  Jordan is Jordan but people have made an idol of him and believe he can do no wrong and can't be surpassed.  Curry is the best shooter all time and hopefully in the end barring injury ends up being the best all time.  I'm still a Spur fan. But Curry is the truth. It's known that I'm not a fan of Jordan as a person. He's a grade A piece of shit BUT, he's the greatest ball player all time...for now.

Curry is not the best NBA shooter of all time.

That is Larry Bird.....end of story.

[twitchfibres]

Curry is not the best NBA shooter of all time.

That is Larry Bird.....end of story.

Not true,

Curry smokes him.

[Wiggs]

Making grown professional men look like fools.

[Walter Sobchak]

Not true,

Curry smokes him.

Yes true.

Curry is the result of the current 3-point shot focused offense and play no defense NBA.

[twitchfibres]

Yes true.

Curry is the result of the current 3-point shot focused offense and play no defense NBA.

Curry is on pace to have more 3 point shots made in the last 2 seasons then bird had in his career.

[Wiggs]

Jordan would have this happen to him on the regular against Curry.  There's nothing Jordan could do to stop Curry. Lebron couldn't stop and Jordan wouldn't be able to either.
Jordan would be Curry's prop.

[twitchfibres]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/stephen-curry-larry-bird-shooting-statistic_56609c7de4b08e945fee8a95?section=australia


Steph Curry is on pace to make more 3s in his last 2 seasons than Larry Bird did in his entire 13-yr career.

[TuHolmes]

Curry is on pace to have more 3 point shots made in the last 2 seasons then bird had in his career.

Also, before Curry, the previous single season 3-point record holder was not Bird, it was Ray Allen.

Curry is on another level when he is healthy.

[Wiggs]

Regarding Curry's defense, he has a 95 defensive rating...that's one of the best in the league...Every year, after his second year, his defensive rating has gone down. Last year he finished with a 101 defensive rating, which is better than Jordan's career average. Furthermore Michael Jordan never had a defensive rating below 100 for a season, so if Steph maintains this level (which he may not) he would actually be a better defender statistically than Jordan ever was.

I love Jordan, he is the reason I love basketball (grew up watching him win championships), but Steph is certainly in the discussion if he maintains his current trajectory.

Like I said for those that really know basketball...Like me.  Curry is on pace to be better than Jordan. I'm down with that.  Great family man and even better ball player.

[Walter Sobchak]

Curry is on pace to have more 3 point shots made in the last 2 seasons then bird had in his career.

Yes.....

Because today's NBA offense is focused on the 3 point shot.

Curry can't play in, or score from the paint.

[Wiggs]

[twitchfibres]

Yes.....

Because today's NBA offense is focused on the 3 point shot.

Curry can't play in, or score from the paint.

Yes he can, he drives in the lane all the time.

And he is a 6'3 guard, why would he be so stupid to play in the paint anyway.

He is so clutch from 3 why even risk being thrown down or bumped hard in the key.

Look at Kobe, He will not drive in the lane anymore, he knows one bump and his season ends on the spot. Morons like Derrick Rose drive in and tear ligaments.

Bird was clutch as fuck, but Curry is clearly superior from mid range and 3 pt range.

[G_Thang]

NBA is full of 1 yr fundamentally fucked college players now vs 3-4 yr fully developed players in the jordan's era.  Chicago would piece that GS squad.