Stephen Curry...Greatest individual season of all time? **POSSIBLE NBA SPOILERS!**

He is not a horrible person, but their are much better role models than Lebron James...

 

Barkley just loves to be relevant by criticizing the current top dog. He loves to make ludicrous opinions on why he disagrees with the general conception. He uses his image and susceptibility for people to really hate the guy to continue his career. Again, a very smart man who knows exactly what he is doing. Barkley tends to talk a lot of self feeding nonsense, but he is entertaining.

The article is focused mostly on championships so Kobe rates above Lebron in this regard. Bill Russell is rated above Lebron and Kobe in this article due to Russell's 11 championships (even though he only averaged 15 points/game). I would consider Kobe and Lebron to be on relatively equal footing. I liked Kobe's style of play better than Lebron's. Lebron has singlehandedly carried his team more than Kobe. Kobe was ultimately more successful in championships. Both had that killer instinct in big games. Both are below Michael Jordan.

Curry does not yet sit at the table of Lebron and Kobe in terms of overall legacy, as Curry only has a limited portfolio so far. This thread was only started to highlight Curry great season this year. However, in the playoffs, his performance did not match his regular season (and the Warriors special regular season).

 

In reflection...

Despite losing their last game of a magical season where they won more games then any team in history, the end of a magical season has been deemed a failure by most. Klay Thompson had stated before game 7 that anything but the title would be a failure, and Stephen Curry agreed with this. At the beginning of the 2015-16 season, the goal was clearly stated that the Warriors goal was to repeat as champions. Steph Curry had said that the close-knit Warriors banded together for a common cause. After they had won the title in 2014-15, all the critics continued to say that the Warriors won the title by luck. Many stated that due to not playing the Clippers, and Spurs (A perennial playoff power-who the warriors had rarely beaten and never won in San Antonio in over 20 years- just missed the 2015 playoffs). The critics said they were Lucky when they beat Memphis when Mike Conley went down with an injury. They said that they were lucky when Kevin Love went down before the finals. They said they were lucky when Kyrie Irving went down early in the finals and then everyone said the Warriors would likely sweep the Cavs who "only" had Lebron. Lebron mounted a heroic effort, and guaranteed the championship because, "he was the best player in the world." The Warriors won in 6 games and the talk continued through the offseason...Many went so far as to say the Warriors 1st NBA championship in 40 years deserved an asterisk because of their luck...Luck despite actively beating teams lead by Anthony Davis, Marc Gasol, James Harden, and Lebron James (4 out of the 5 2015 1st Team All NBA players- the 5th member was Steph, himself).

"Strength in numbers" was the motto for the TEAM during 2014-15 season, and the 2015-16 Team was generally made up of the same cast. Curry had said the the lack of respect for winning the 2014-15 title helped fuel the fire that became the magical 2015-16 regular season. The team felt it best to continue the 2014-15 motto “Strength in numbers” because their mission was not complete. They had extra motivation coming out of the block- wanting to prove to everyone that they were a team worthy of the championship. They played a brand of basketball that seemed “effortless” and “fun” with championship caliber defense and a “new-brand” of offense that included frantic cuts and innovative screens and an expanded range of shot-making. The team broke dozens of records and cruised to 70 wins and Curry was named the 1st in history unanimous MVP…Again the naysayers claimed that Curry wasn’t deserving of the unanimous award despite all the records, all the clutch moments, all of the effect on popular culture. NBA Legends said that Steph was ruining the game…they said that Steph could not play in their time… they said that if Steph hit 27 footer over them they would punish him…The current NBA players and it seems the NBA officiating collective has subsequently listened. ..After being named Unanimous MVP, the league got rough…off the ball holding of Curry and new found attention to so calling “illegal screens” worked to make Steph’s space even tighter…After cruising to 70 wins, the warriors lost 2 games in one week. Many felt that it might be best to rest the team for the playoffs and not worry about the season wins record-as the chase for the title had always been the TEAM’s goal. Kerr has stated he was against chasing the wins record, but after a team meeting, the players fuel continued to drive them and they struggled the last week and hit the wins record of 73 on the last game of the season…

As everyone has seen, the 2015-16 playoffs was anything but a cakewalk for this previously “unbeatable team.” Against Houston, came Steph’s injuries to the foot, ankle and knee…They lost one game with controvery due to a James Harden push-off that was not called as time expired. They struggled to beat barely .500 Blazers that was competive to the point where the Warriors actually trailed for most of the series. Steph had a miraculous effort coming back from injury and scoring 15 points in overtime in one game. The OKC series was legendary with Steph being severely outplayed by Westbrook in the first half and Westbrook laughing and shaking his head at Curry when a reporter had asked him if he felt Curry was an underated defender who lead the league in steals. Curry played well in games 5,6, and 7 averaging over 30 points a game and seemingly returning to form. After game 7, Westbrook refused to shake Curry’s hand and everyone just said, there was no problem in it that it was just “Westbrook being Westbrook.”

The Cavs series does not need to be rehashed…Lebron took it upon himself to prove to the world that “he was the top dog in the NBA” and took on a personal mission to show everyone that “he was not gone, that he had not lost a step, that he had not lost his crown, that he was the underdog” When Curry was asked about the talk of taking Lebron’s crown, He was having none of the hype…He promptly said, “ I don’t want Lebron’s crown, I am all about chasing a title for my team.” Every big Lebron play on Steph drew a taunt that never received a warning or foul. Every call seemed to go Lebron’s way with the 6’8’’ Lebron “flopping ” on top of the barely 6 foot Curry after a clean swipe of the ball to get him thrown out of a game.

It was a 7 game series decided in the last minute of the last game, with the Warriors final’s MVP Draymond Green siting out Game 5 for a “retaliatory swipe that did not connect” Many have criticized the Warriors and particularly Stephen Curry for choking in the finals, and for chucking up 3 point prayers to try to win game 7 when no team could score for 5 minutes in a tie game with the game winding down…In the regular season, these “prayers” established Curry’s legend. In reflection…if any one of those prayers would of went in, we may very could have been talking about how Stephen Curry made the shot to win the game…win the series… Win the crown-being “the best of all time behind MJ”. Make no mistake, Steph Curry’s 2 year goal was to finish the “Strength in Numbers” mission.

Stephen “Wardell” Curry has handled the playoff struggle and loss with class…after the game-never once complaining about how things have turned on him like officiating, NBA off court suspensions, game 6 ejection, talk of choking, or even a left open Harrison Barnes going 2/26 in games 5, 6, and 7. I do not think it was particularly his fault that they lost this series. He is a quiet leader, a leader by example. He simply states that he wishes he had played better and extends his congratulations to Lebron and the Cavs, and thanks to the “Dub Nation” that supported him. He makes no excuses, and I (as well as Ayesha Curry) don’t feel any shame in making the excuses for him…

Though your 2015-16 season may not be the best individual NBA season of all time, The season was definintely not a failure…Not by anyone’s standards…even amongst one of your lofty standards…Your play and class have inspired a generation of fans...

 

"It is far harder to lose with class then win with class."

LeBron trolls hard, comes home wearing an Ultimate Warrior shirt | Ball Don't Lie - Yahoo Sports

Would we expect any different from him? Lebron really does take the "high road."

 

Yes, some players "choked" as you say.

Yes, the shots put up in the last 4 minutes were low percentage shots with long 3's.

Still, they had the game tied through the last 5 minutes of the game playing championship defense with supreme effort.

They had the ball in their best players hands attempting to make the winning shot...the MVP was not scared of taking that shot...

The Cavs were also playing out of this world defense in the end, then Kyrie took a low percentage shot to win the Universe...

The only difference is that Kyrie made it and Curry didn't.

Many have said all year that Steph's crazy shots were only bad shots for someone other than Steph or Klay....if you watched Curry all year you would know that those shots made him who he was, He is the greatest 3 point shooter of all time, period-those shots are easier to him at times than a lay up...In the final mioments he was attempting to be Steph Curry and not letting the Cavs dictate how he plays...the great players will "take the shot". If the shot goes in, no one complains about he shot.

Bottom line-they didn't go in.

 

Yes, the Golden State Warriors failed. Yes I am bitter about Lebron's antics. This is not RH point of posting that link.

I assume you think his behavior is appropriate? He is the face of the NBA now-is this appropriate behavior for all the kids watching him? Lebron surely is being a goodwill ambassador, doing his duty to make the world a better place.

Behavior like this is why I have rooted against him-even before he played against my team the past 2 years in the finals. I don't wish I'll will on him. I just wish someone as gifted and fortunate as him would be a better person.