How Current Steph Curry Is Better Than The Unanimous MVP Version
Despite appearing to have reached the pinnacle of his basketball prowess when he became the first ever unanimous MVP in 2016, Curry has continued to improve his game and find new ways to dominate.
In the history of the NBA, only one player has ever won the MVP award unanimously. That player is Stephen Curry. But what if I told you that at age 34, six years after becoming the first-ever unanimous MVP, Steph Curry is even better than the player he was back then? Despite appearing to have reached the pinnacle of his basketball prowess over half a decade ago, Curry has continued to improve his game and find new ways to dominate.
Everybody knows how deadly Curry is from beyond the arc. He’s the greatest shooter of All-Time, and this season is no different. But his ability to score around the basket has been an underappreciated part of his strong start to the 2022-23 season.
His efficiency has increased due to career highs in both his overall two-point percentage (63.7) and two-point makes per game (5.7). What stands out, though, is his driving and finishing in the paint through contact.
He’s making an unreal 79.1% of his shots within 3 feet, per Basketball-Reference, which is also a career-high. The slender 6’3” guard has been just as efficient as big men like Nikola Jokic and Karl Anthony Towns when taking shots at the rim, per Synergy Sports, averaging 1.522 points per possession. NBA's Stats has him at 76.4% in the restricted area, where he’s the 12th most efficient of the players with at least as many attempts as Curry's 55. Among those 12 players, only Donovan Mitchell is shorter than him. What Steph is doing is even more impressive because he has been primarily making shots in the paint that require a high level of skill.
Here’s a closer look at some of the most notable parts of his attack.
Even though Curry plays below the rim and has yet to record a dunk this season, he makes up for it with his deft footwork, crafty ball handling, and willingness to draw contact.
One way to get an advantage in the paint as a small guard is to jump first and initiate the contact. Watch how Curry leaps into Randle's chest before Randle has a chance to jump. This keeps Randle ground-bound and prevents him from truly contesting the layup.
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Another elite aspect of Steph's game is on display here. Without his exceptional ball handling, Curry would not be able to get to the paint at such a high rate. Although he’s consistently displayed one of the league's top handles, his carelessness with the ball has proven detrimental at times in the past. But you wouldn’t know it by watching his play this season. He’s had the ball on a string, and the Chef has been using that control to cook his defenders on the perimeter.
One of his favorite moves this season has been a behind-the-back dribble to his right hand.
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You can see the moment Steph Curry realizes he’s an alien.
"You run out of adjectives to describe Steph's play. He's just amazing night after night," Steve Kerr said. "He's in such great shape. If there's one area where he's dramatically better now than when I first got here, it's his strength and conditioning. He's much bigger and stronger, capable of defending at a high level and sustaining two-way basketball for an entire game. And just knocking down shots from all over and finishing at the rim. He's unbelievable."