(Photo: LetsGoWarriors.com / Ryan Brown)
Stephen Curry All Star starter? Sure, it’s a popularity contest, but where there’s popularity in the NBA, superstar qualities can usually be found.
There’s a strong case to be made for him to start the 2014 All-Star Game.
As we enter a new year, it’s sounder than ever, as the Golden State Warriors have put together their longest winning streak of the season on the back of some stellar performances from their point guard.
From last year to this year, Curry seems to have taken the “next step” in his game, becoming not only one of the league’s premier shooters, but one of it’s best all-around offensive players.
Currently 3rd in voting among guards in the Western Conference, Curry is on the outside looking in. Two guards from Los Angeles, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul, lead the balloting, at least in part due to playing in the biggest basketball town in the world.
For now, we’ll assume that Curry’s fans aren’t able to make up the 50,000 vote difference separating him and Paul, though the gap has closed from more than 70,000 since the initial voting release.
We’ll also assume that Bryant misses the All-Star game, either because of his injury or that he’ll still be recovering from it in February, even if he returns prior to the All-Star Game.
So with one replacement spot available, is Curry the most deserving of the remaining candidates? He’ll be up against other worthy candidates, including James Harden, Tony Parker and Damian Lillard.
Their respective teams all have better records than the Warriors to this point in the season, while still racking up some impressive numbers themselves.
So what separates Curry from the pack?
We’ll start off simple. Firstly, Curry is without an All-Star bound teammate. Harden plays with Dwight Howard, and Lillard with LaMarcus Aldridge, who are all but certain additions.
Parker will probably make the trip alone as well, but has easily the least impressive stats of the group, averaging “just” 18 points.
By comparison, Harden (23.4 ppg), Curry (23.4) and Lillard (21.4) are the top three scorers among Western Conference guards.
Curry owns a distinct advantage over all three, though, in that he averages 9.6 assists per game. Parker (6.0) is the next highest, with Lillard (5.8) and Harden (5.4) coming in just behind him.
Steph’s massive role in the Warriors’ offense translates into a measurable impact as well. As John Schuhmann of NBA.com has recently brought to attention, his offensive impact is probably the best in the league.
With him on the court, the Warriors are more than 25 points better per 100 possessions, which is just a few more than a typical NBA game.
That number is tops in the league, about 2 points better than certain All-Star Kevin Love, and it’s twice as good as last year’s leader. More from Schuhmann:
Curry is one of the most dangerous weapons in the league and a unique challenge to defend, because he’s one of the league’s two or three best shooters, but also has the ball in his hands to start most possessions. He leads the league with 15.8 pull-up jumpers per game, including 5.1 from 3-point range.
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Curry not only gets buckets himself, but the threat of him pulling up clearly creates openings for his fellow perimeter players. Klay Thompson has shot 7.4 percent better from the field and 9.9 percent better from 3-point range with Curry on the floor, while Andre Iguodala has shot 31.1 percent better from the field and 43.7 percent better from beyond the arc.
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The Warriors have not only shot better with Curry on the floor, but they’ve turned the ball over 6.1 fewer times per 100 possessions. Both Nemanja Nedovic and Kent Bazemore have turned the ball over on more than 20 percent of their possessions.
While it’s not necessarily fair to give Curry the edge over other All-Stars based on the lack of bench production, it’s a clear indicator how important he’s been to team success. None of the other options come close.
In fact, Curry has been so good that his net rating (counting offense and defense) is better than any West guard with an All-Star candidacy, including Chris Paul. And that doesn’t adjust at all for how bad the Warriors’ bench has been.
(Stats via NBA.com)
All in all, it’d be hard to see Curry passed over if a starting spot opens up. Especially given he’s also next in line in fan voting.
He’s even 6th in the NBA in jersey sales. It should be interesting to see who gets the nod if Bryant isn’t able to go.
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