John-S wrote:
Curry doesn’t need the ball just like Klay and can score 40-50 an given night just running behind screens and catch and shoot. That is why KD fit in like a glove even thought they were already chip winning 73 win team. He just made the unbeatable.
Anecdotally that makes sense. but it isnt entirely accurate. while curry can be an elite off-ball player, he is an extremely high usage on-ball player. in fact, 3 of currys 4 highest usage seasons where with Durant. and 2 of currys 3 highest season for attempts in isolation are with durant on the floor.
The warriors offense got alot more iso heavy/share the ball and alot less move the ball within the offense when durant arrived. the offense was not better from a ball sharing perspective with durant.
Russ or Harden? He could never win s**** with those guys. Curry is far more adaptable player than any of those 2 due to his insane shooting. He fit with KD and so di Klay. You don’t usually find players like Steph and Klay be as superstar effective without the ball until it is time to release it. Has everything to do with being perhaps 1-2 all time greatest pure shooters. Kyrie is not comparable to Steph’s play style at all. Only similarity is they are both guards.
1) Durant made the NBA finals with Russ/Harden. and took the 73 win warriors to game 7 of the conference finals with Russ. So lets lay off the "hasnt won s***" stuff like he was getting dropped in the first round like paul george or something.
2) Kyrie is alot more similar to curry then you are making it out to be... both Kyrie and Curry are 30-32% usage players over the past 4 seasons. Kyrie has shot it at 40% from three for 4 straight seasons. Curry has shot 25%/44%/43%/41% from three. throw away this year due to injury. so 1-2% better from three but also on 3 more attempts or so a game. which is significant.
Kyrie has shot 42% or better from three off ball on catch and shoot 3 of the past 4 seasons. So he is an elite off-ball shooter himself. The assit totals, averages and assist percentages between the 2 are near identical. with it varying who was better year to year but fractions.
13% of Kyries offense comes in isolation (like curry the bulk of his offense comes as pick and roll ball handler). Curry 9% in isolation last year (and that was with durant as a teammate).
While it is true curry is the most elite floor spacer, 3 point shooter of all time and a catch and shoot beast, Kyrie excels in all the same areas. Also true is that curry is an extremely high usage player who has the ball in his hands a ton between isolation and pick and rolls. and both players pass at the same rate.
The Idea that KD/Kyrie cant work when KD/Curry, KD/Russ, and KD/Russ/Westbrook did is just silly. I'm not saying they will turn into Frazier and Monroe chemistry wise but both ahve played next to stars and high volume scorers and made it work at high levels
