Is Stephen Curry Really the Best Point Guard in the League?
By Segun Giwa
Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert (4) during the second quarter of game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
Player’s Contribution to Team Success
The biggest criticism Paul has received throughout his career is that he can’t get past the second round of the playoffs. He was the best player on a core that included David West and Tyson Chandler, which was never good enough to make any real noise against the best teams in the Western Conference. Even when Paul was shipped to LA in 2011, he was paired with underdeveloped talents Blake Griffin and Deandre Jordan. The question then becomes: are Paul’s teammates the problem, or is he just not good enough to be the number one option on a contender?
Paul is now on a legit contender, but his championship window is closing fast. It’d be a shame for Paul to be this era’s John Stockton — the ring-less superstar point guard.
Unlike Paul, Westbrook and Curry have had (more) success in the postseason. Westbrook has been to the Conference Finals in three out of five playoff appearances, while appearing in one Finals series (2012 vs. Heat). Westbrook has been good in the playoffs in his career, averaging 24/6/7 and making clutch plays like this:
The biggest problem I have with Westbrook’s game is his unwillingness to defer to Durant at times, especially in big moments in big games.
I get it: Westbrook wants to be the guy to win or lose the game. His “Mamba mentality” is admirable, especially when he cashes in on the big opportunities, but sometimes you just have to give the ball up, especially when you play with arguably the best scorer in the game.
Curry, like Westbrook, has also enjoyed playoff success. Who could forget The Chef leading the Warriors to a first round upset of the Denver Nuggets in 2013, and nearly upsetting the Spurs in the next round in 2013, not to mention his key role in the recent NBA championship Golden State just obtained. One of his greatest skills is his ability to make his teammates better. He is such a threat from long-range that defenses are forced to be aware of his position on the court at all times. Coach Steve Kerr used this to his team’s advantage and came up with several plays that utilized Curry as a decoy to open up scoring opportunities for other players. His influence off the ball is bar none, and is a large reason why the Warriors were able to win it all last season.
This is the reason Curry wins this category: not only is he an NBA champion, but he was also the best player on the championship team.
Winner: Curry
So, now that you’ve read my take, it’s your turn. Who is the best point guard in the NBA?