Steph Top 10 All Time - According to Bleacher report

[Clyde Frazier]

What cost the warriors the 2016 finals was the disappearance of their interior defense and rim protection after game 4. Up to that point, LeBron had a relatively hard time just getting to the rim because he had multiple defenders stripping at the balland had to finish on a big 7 footer.
I remember watching with my family and after bogut went down, I knew the tide of the series would instantly change. The lane was wide open for LeBron to create drive and kick offense and Tristan to control offensive rebounds.

Steph was also thrown out of game 6 for 2-3 bull fouls, when up to that point in his career he had Literally never fouled out of a game before. I generally dont think NBA games are fixed but...I honestly believe the league called that one in Haha.

The warriors let the Cavs build momentum and took their foot off the gas a little, but the entire defensive dynamic changed after game 4 and the cavs offense opened up. Essentially two different series. The warriors healthy were stomping on the Cavs neck before that, waiting for the match to be called.

So if the warriors win game 5, Steph's peak already gets him consideration for top 10 ever in 2016.

What cost the warriors the 2016 finals was Draymond not being able to control himself and getting himself suspended.

That too. Although what Draymond did hardly deserved a suspension. LeBron literally walked over dude purposely teabagging him....and then publicly campaigned for Draymond's suspension. Draymond just reacted very naturally honestly. I dont know any circumstance where a normal guy doesnt immediately, strongly react to that. The league probably thought, "eh might as well make up for the Adam's nutshot" but in and of itself it was not a worthy call.

Really rubbed me the wrong way, that move there.

He didn't get suspended for that play specifically. It was the culmination of all the "kicks" from the playoffs overall and that was the last straw. Even if we agree Draymond wasn't/isn't a dirty player, he was definitely reckless. Limbs don't move that way involuntarily.

[Hoopstar23]

What cost the warriors the 2016 finals was the disappearance of their interior defense and rim protection after game 4. Up to that point, LeBron had a relatively hard time just getting to the rim because he had multiple defenders stripping at the balland had to finish on a big 7 footer.
I remember watching with my family and after bogut went down, I knew the tide of the series would instantly change. The lane was wide open for LeBron to create drive and kick offense and Tristan to control offensive rebounds.

Steph was also thrown out of game 6 for 2-3 bull fouls, when up to that point in his career he had Literally never fouled out of a game before. I generally dont think NBA games are fixed but...I honestly believe the league called that one in Haha.

The warriors let the Cavs build momentum and took their foot off the gas a little, but the entire defensive dynamic changed after game 4 and the cavs offense opened up. Essentially two different series. The warriors healthy were stomping on the Cavs neck before that, waiting for the match to be called.

So if the warriors win game 5, Steph's peak already gets him consideration for top 10 ever in 2016.

lets not forget Harrison Barnes from Game 5-7

Game 4 of the 2017 NBA Finals... the NBA prevented the Warriors from sweeping the playoffs....

[NO-KG-AI]

Absolutely, if you take away longevity and post season performance.


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[WarriorGM]

Absolutely, if you take away longevity and post season performance. Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

Who are the guys with 3 rings or more in at least 5 finals appearances that don't have a better teammate in the top 10 that aren't in the top 10 themselves?

[michaelm]

In game 7 at home, Draymond put up 32-15-9 as the 3rd / 4th scoring option. When you get that much scoring from a player who's looked at for his defense first and you have the two best 3pt shooters in the league +the MVP, you have no reason whatsoever to lose that game.

Saying the league was the reason GS lost 2 of the last 3 at home is quite comical. Steph and the Warriors caused themselves to piss away that great season.

The difference between victory and defeat can be explained entirely by the +/- between Bogut who missed games 6 and 7 and his replacements Ezeli and Varejao. The Warriors were even with the Cavaliers in game 5 before Bogut went down. I guess it's just a coincidence that from that moment on they lost the last three games they played down a starter.

So if Bogut doesn't get hurt and GS wins, Bogut easily wins FMVP?

He was clearly seen as the main part that series and was what made the winning machine purr like a kitten?

Leave injuries out of it altogether and there is no issue. Many on here including in this very thread are however at pains to point out how injuries helped Curry/GSW at every turn but completely deny injuries ever affected GSW, including contending that It is mandatory to regard Curry as being fully healthy in the 2016 finals etc.

The fair thing given the Cavs did win against everyone who turned up to play them is to assume LeBron and Kyrie would have found a way to win regardless, but I doubt it would have been by those 2 great players at the rim getting there at will for two and a half games if Bogut had stayed on the court. The 73 win regular season team didn’t have Varejao as a major rim protector (perhaps oddly nor did the Cavs despite him being on their regular season roster), nor did it have Barnes bricking every shot despite being wide open.

I also don’t think it is drawing a particularly long bow to suggest the NBA prefers a finals series to last more than 5 games and might be motivated by this should an opportunity present, and whatever Green might have deserved for his actions playing other teams the Cavs had not in any way “earned” his suspension, and him being suspended for the particular incident concerned remains ridiculous particularly since LeBron both was the instigator and petitioned the league for the suspension. If you want to call Curry weak at the end of that finals I believe having to petition the commissioner for a suspension to extend a series/win a title also qualifies.
(EDIT hadn’t seen the following posts which have already made my points).

[michaelm]

What cost the warriors the 2016 finals was Draymond not being able to control himself and getting himself suspended.

That too. Although what Draymond did hardly deserved a suspension. LeBron literally walked over dude purposely teabagging him....and then publicly campaigned for Draymond's suspension. Draymond just reacted very naturally honestly. I dont know any circumstance where a normal guy doesnt immediately, strongly react to that. The league probably thought, "eh might as well make up for the Adam's nutshot" but in and of itself it was not a worthy call.

Really rubbed me the wrong way, that move there.

He didn't get suspended for that play specifically. It was the culmination of all the "kicks" from the playoffs overall and that was the last straw. Even if we agree Draymond wasn't/isn't a dirty player, he was definitely reckless. Limbs don't move that way involuntarily.

Of course he had well and truly earned his accumulation of tech fouls, but what does that have to do with the merits of the Cavs/LeBron, or LeBron actually pretty much calling for him to be suspended despite being the instigator/aggressor in the (non) incident ?.

[jason bourne]

Steph is top 10 because he IS A WARRIOR!!! The Baby Faced Assassin. He revolutionized the 3-pt shot and the new era NBA.

Dam. Anthony Davis is not even on the omission list. Neither is Giannis. Was KG really better than Dirk, West, Malone, and Barkley? Hell no!

[Clyde Frazier]

That too. Although what Draymond did hardly deserved a suspension. LeBron literally walked over dude purposely teabagging him....and then publicly campaigned for Draymond's suspension. Draymond just reacted very naturally honestly. I dont know any circumstance where a normal guy doesnt immediately, strongly react to that. The league probably thought, "eh might as well make up for the Adam's nutshot" but in and of itself it was not a worthy call.

Really rubbed me the wrong way, that move there.

He didn't get suspended for that play specifically. It was the culmination of all the "kicks" from the playoffs overall and that was the last straw. Even if we agree Draymond wasn't/isn't a dirty player, he was definitely reckless. Limbs don't move that way involuntarily.

Of course he had well and truly earned his accumulation of tech fouls, but what does that have to do with the merits of the Cavs/LeBron, or LeBron actually pretty much calling for him to be suspended despite being the instigator/aggressor in the (non) incident ?.

My point was there was nothing the league could do at that point. His luck had run out.

[michaelm]

He didn't get suspended for that play specifically. It was the culmination of all the "kicks" from the playoffs overall and that was the last straw. Even if we agree Draymond wasn't/isn't a dirty player, he was definitely reckless. Limbs don't move that way involuntarily.

Of course he had well and truly earned his accumulation of tech fouls, but what does that have to do with the merits of the Cavs/LeBron, or LeBron actually pretty much calling for him to be suspended despite being the instigator/aggressor in the (non) incident ?.

My point was there was nothing the league could do at that point. His luck had run out.

Perhaps so, but it wasn’t assessed as a flagrant foul live, and if it was so obviously such a foul then LeBron had no need to petition the commissioner.

My points were that while LeBron and Kyrie obviously won the last 3 games by great play, Green’s suspension which was probably rather influential was in no way earned by the Cavs or due to the Cavs, and that the whole thing was pretty weak on LeBron’s part, with him on all evidence not even having noticed any contact before multiple slow motion replays after the game.

[GeorgeMarcus]

Which of the guys I listed does he displace? I just don't see it.

1. Wilt
2. MJ
3. LeBron
4. Kareem
5. Russell
6. Magic
7. Bird
8. Shaq
9. Duncan
10. Curry

That is what my list will look like when Curry breaks the barrier, unless LeBron does something that boosts him over MJ.

I personally think Kobe is the most overrated superstar in the history of sports tied with Derek Jeter.

Having said that, Kobe is not behind Curry on any list except long distance shooting & free throws.

If you feel that way then you're not an impact stat guy, and that's ok... But are we just ignoring the MVPs, scoring efficiency, and team success? There are plenty of reasons to choose Curry over Kobe. If you choose Kobe because of longevity that's cool, but otherwise I'd like to hear your defense of him.

[GreatWhiteStiff]

Which of the guys I listed does he displace? I just don't see it.

1. Wilt
2. MJ
3. LeBron
4. Kareem
5. Russell
6. Magic
7. Bird
8. Shaq
9. Duncan
10. Curry

That is what my list will look like when Curry breaks the barrier, unless LeBron does something that boosts him over MJ.

I just don't think there's anything he can do in the regular season to displace Hakeem. He needs at least a second title without as good or better a player all time. His MVP years were impressive, sure, and he had an impact on the game as a whole, but beside a 2 year span in the RS the dominance just isn't there.

Sorry but which 2 year was steph curry dominant in comparison to his other regular season stats?

[trending]

this is like saying lady gaga is a top 10 singer all time. gs dominated the no-defense era. then kd came and his game changed to become less dominating. couldn't do nothin last playoffs defended by rookie undrafted vanvleet.

kawhi > curry

[LuckyLeprechaun]

IMO you can't be top 10 all time without being elite on both ends of the floor. Steph is a top 10 offensive player, but there is a long list of guards in front of him all time on defense.

[michaelm]

this is like saying lady gaga is a top 10 singer all time. gs dominated the no-defense era. then kd came and his game changed to become less dominating. couldn't do nothin last playoffs defended by rookie undrafted vanvleet.

kawhi > curry

Kawhi may well have an argument to be top 10 all time himself at the end of his career. At the moment teams built around him have won 2 titles rather than 3 however, and if one of Curry’s titles is downgraded on the basis of injuries then the same applies to Kawhi’s second title.

[michaelm]

IMO you can't be top 10 all time without being elite on both ends of the floor. Steph is a top 10 offensive player, but there is a long list of guards in front of him all time on defense.

Why ?. If a team built around a player wins it wins.

[dhsilv2]

this is like saying lady gaga is a top 10 singer all time. gs dominated the no-defense era. then kd came and his game changed to become less dominating. couldn't do nothin last playoffs defended by rookie undrafted vanvleet.

kawhi > curry

defense is harder to play today...but just as valuable as ever. Context I swear is lost on some people.......

Defense is and will always be half the game.

[dhsilv2]

IMO you can't be top 10 all time without being elite on both ends of the floor. Steph is a top 10 offensive player, but there is a long list of guards in front of him all time on defense.

ok, justify this view. why

[Pennebaker]

this is like saying lady gaga is a top 10 singer all time. gs dominated the no-defense era. then kd came and his game changed to become less dominating. couldn't do nothin last playoffs defended by rookie undrafted vanvleet.

kawhi > curry

Kawhi may well have an argument to be top 10 all time himself at the end of his career. At the moment teams built around him have won 2 titles rather than 3 however, and if one of Curry’s titles is downgraded on the basis of injuries then the same applies to Kawhi’s second title.

Kawhi has a long way to go, though. He's 28 years old, has been in the league 8 years and is only a 3x all-star and 3x All-NBA. No MVPs. His career averages are poor. He has two DPOY awards but that doesnt carry as much weight and prestige as an MVP (Joakim Noah and Tyson Chandler have DPOY awards, for example). He has two Finals MVPs but he won one of those as a role player ala Andre Igoudala.

He'll have to triple what he's already done (i.e. 9x All-NBA), sustain increased productivity (improve his career averages), and win an MVP or two to enter the conversation. Unfortunately, because of his health, he may not be able to do those things.

[ChantMVP]

IMO you can't be top 10 all time without being elite on both ends of the floor. Steph is a top 10 offensive player, but there is a long list of guards in front of him all time on defense.

Why ?. If a team built around a player wins it wins.

Because defense is half the game and someone that brings both at all time great levels has more impact than someone that does just one at that level.

Jordan (9 all defense)
Lebron - (5 all defense. for most of his career has been elite on D, blocks on splitter and iggy comes to mind)
Kobe
Hakeem
Magic
Shaq
Kareem
Russell
KG
Duncan (15 total all defense teams)
Wade and Bird both got 3 all defense second teams, Wade also most blocks by a guard ever

most of the top guys were dominant on both ends weren't they?

[michaelm]

IMO you can't be top 10 all time without being elite on both ends of the floor. Steph is a top 10 offensive player, but there is a long list of guards in front of him all time on defense.

Why ?. If a team built around a player wins it wins.

Because defense is half the game and someone that brings both at all time great levels has more impact than someone that does just one at that level.

Jordan (9 all defense)
Lebron - (5 all defense. for most of his career has been elite on D, blocks on splitter and iggy comes to mind)
Kobe
Hakeem
Magic
Shaq
Kareem
Russell
KG
Duncan (15 total all defense teams)
Wade and Bird both got 3 all defense second teams, Wade also most blocks by a guard ever

most of the top guys were dominant on both ends weren't they?

Most of those guys except Magic (theoretically) weren't PGs. If you can build a winning team around Curry you can build a winning team around him as I have said. It is a team sport and there are no victories other than team victories in the sport.