Warriors vs Clippers 2014 Playoffs Marquee Matchup: Stephen Curry vs Chris Paul (Photo: via Sportspeak.org)
WARRIORS PRACTICE FACILITY, OAKLAND, CA — There are plenty of story lines for this year’s epic first-round 2014 NBA Playoffs matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers, but one that stands out is the battle at the point guard position.
While Chris Paul‘s name has been synonymous with “superstar”, only recently has Stephen Curry been attached that label on a regular basis.
“Chris Paul is a heck of a player,” Warriors head coach Mark Jackson said before the team practiced today, “He’s a future Hall-Of-Famer. He’s an all-time great.”
Curry is looking forward to the matchup.
“Obviously, you want to play against the best and he’s already one of the best point guards in the league,” Curry said, “We know each other pretty well and on the court, there’s no friends, basically. So I’m going out, I’m going to compete, play hard, try to get my team where we want to go to win the series, and do it against a guy that’s been there countless times.”
Curry won’t be guarding Paul to start. That unenviable task will go to 6’7″ shooting guard Klay Thompson.
“(Paul is) the top of the list just because of his quickness,” Thompson said, “He’s real good at getting in the lane, one of the better point guards in the league at throwing lobs, and they’ve got two great athletes he’s throwing to. He’s definitely up there and you forget how good a scorer he is, too, because he sets their team well.”
But how about “CP3”, is there anything special he will need to do with Curry when he guards Curry on the other end?
“Nope, none whatsoever,” Paul dead-panned, expectedly, “Whoever I play against, it is what it is. My college coach used to say it’s a team game played by individuals. You’ve got to do your part, but at the end of the day, it’s about winning games.”
However, even Paul knows that if Curry can be stopped, that goes a long way towards defeating the Warriors.
“Steph shoots it from everywhere,” Paul said, “He’s a great passer that a lot of times people overlook, but their team knows that they go as he goes, so he’s the head of the snake.”
At times, Curry was a wounded snake.
“When you think about what he’s gone through,” Golden State head coach Mark Jackson said, “There was a time when people said, ‘Well, he’s always getting hurt.’
“It was one injury. The thing that I think people don’t realize the most is his toughness. He would go on the court and play in practice, when he had no business doing so, when he wasn’t physically able to do it, when he told his body to take a backseat. He made an impact that was part of the foundation of this basketball team. When you see your best player practice and play hurt, it makes a huge statement.”
“Everyone knew he was good, but didn’t quite know what to expect with the ankle,” said Curry’s teammate Draymond Green, “Then he started to rise and people said, ‘Okay, you’re really coming along into this year.’ He’s really solidified himself as a superstar. It’s been great to watch, to play with, and to see him rise like that.
“One thing I really admire about him, what he does is incredible because he does it every night and the way he plays, that’s taxing, but he does it every single night,” Green added, “A lot of times he gets credit for his skill, but he doesn’t get credit for his will and his fight, his drive. You’ve seen a million guys who are skilled, but don’t have that drive, don’t have that fight. I think he never gives credit for that.”
Whether that drive is enough to propel Curry’s entire team along with him in the rise to super-stardom and advancing in the playoffs remains to be seen.
“Two good point guards,” Green said, “May the best man win.”
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