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Stephen Curry vs Steve Nash: Who was better in their prime?

By Nathan Beighle

ONTARIO, CA - OCTOBER 12: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against Steve Nash #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers on October 12, 2012 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
ONTARIO, CA - OCTOBER 12: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against Steve Nash #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers on October 12, 2012 at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2014 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) Steph Curry /

Shooting/Scoring

Curry: 10

While it’s hard to verify, it’s easy to assume that Stephen Curry’s campaign during the 2015-2016 season might’ve been the best shooting season of all time.

The 6-foot-3 point guard managed to hoist up 11.2 threes per game and connect on 5.1. A 45.4% clip, Curry was unstoppable all season long. Scoring 30.1 points per game, he put up one of the all-time great seasons.

Curry had the league’s highest offensive win-share total and true shooting percentage as well.

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From the free throw line, Curry was just as dominant. He led the league with a remarkable 90.8% free throw percentage. In conclusion, Steph’s overall field goal percentage was over 50% for the first time in his career, making him part of the 50/40/90 club for the first time in his career.

It’s impossible to give Curry anything other than a 10.

Nash: 8

Not as dynamic from deep, during the 2006-2007 season, Nash was also an elite shooter. Nash’s buckets were a bit different though, coming more within the three-point line than outside of it.

Scoring 18.6 per game, Nash did surprisingly have a marginally better three-point percentage, shooting 45.5% from downtown and averaging 2.1 per game. Nash was a wise player, playing alongside dominant big man Amare Stoudemire.

He was brilliant with his shot selection, averaging a league-high 61.3% effective field goal percentage, a rate that includes the value of a three-point shot. Nash also held the league’s best true shooting percentage.

A career-high 53.2% from inside the arc, Nash knew how to run an offense, and while he wasn’t even close to as dynamic of a scorer as Curry, he was just as efficient of a scorer.

Not clearing even 20 points per game, Nash takes a little hit to start our three-tier comparison.

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