Stephen Curry Legacy: #HumanTorch Can Steal CP3’s Torch With Game 7 Win

Stephen Curry Legacy: #HumanTorch Can Steal CP3’s Torch With Game 7 Win (Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account)

STAPLES CENTER, LOS ANGELES, CA — Game Seven between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers presents an opportunity for Stephen Curry to steal and carry the torch of best point guard in the NBA from Chris Paul.

Curry’s already stolen the spotlight this year by being voted as the Western Conference All-Star starter in a spot usually won by Paul via popular vote. Paul had been the All-Star starting point guard for three straight years prior to this season, starting with the 2011 NBA All-Star Game.

In 2010, Paul was injured (replaced by Chauncey Billups) and did not play in that All-Star Game, however, it was Steve Nash who’d earned the starting vote by a narrow margin.

In 2009, Paul was an All-Star starter. Prior to 2009, the Western Conference starting point guard was Allen Iverson of the Denver Nuggets in 2008. And in 2007, Paul’s rookie year, the top vote-getters at guard were Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady. Gilbert Arenas and Jason Kidd were the most popular point guards at the time, although Dwayne Wade and Vince Carter garnering the most votes that year in the East.

Sometimes people forget that Paul is a nine-year veteran and holds a considerable edge in experience over Curry. However, injuries and winning (or rather, losing, which often coincides with injuries), are, of course, a tell-tale sign of a player’s decline and, after Nash’s consecutive MVP awards in 2004-05 and 2005-06, it was all downhill from there and the debate was all but over as Paul gained more and more prominence, averaging close to 20-and-10 per year, for the last seven years.

If Paul loses Game 7 tonight, there will be more losses than wins on his playoff resume:

• 2007-08, 3rd year (NOH): Lost Western Conference Semifinals to San Antonio Spurs (4-3), who lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Finals.
• 2008-09, 4th year (NOH): Lost First Round to the Denver Nuggets (4-1), which lost in the Conference Finals to the Lakers, which beat the Orlando Magic in the Finals.
• 2009-10, 5th year (NOH): Did not make playoffs (37-45 record).
• 2010-11, 6th year (NOH): Lost First Round to the Lakers (4-2), which lost in the Conference Finals to the Dallas Mavericks, which won the NBA Finals.
• 2011-12, 7th year (LAC): Lost Western Conference Semifinals to the Spurs (4-0), which lost Conference Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which lost the NBA Finals to the Miami Heat.
• 2012-13, 8th year (LAC): Lost First Round to the Memphis Grizzlies (4-2), which lost to the Spurs in the Conference Finals.
• 2013-14, 9th year (LAC): ???

Contrast that to Curry’s nascent resume-build:

• 2012-13, 4th year (GSW): Lost Conference Semifinals to the Spurs (4-2), which lost the NBA Finals to the Heat.
• 2013-14, 5th year (GSW): ???

Of course, it will probably require Curry to go #HumanTorch mode in order to snatch that non-human, yet-still-imaginary torch and label as the best point guard in the NBA. And even then, with all the great point guards in the league, there are still other series and players that could affect the label. If, for example, Damian Lillard carries the Portland Trail Blazers deep into the playoffs, the torch battle between CP3 and Steph is all but rendered irrelevant.

Still, you get the feeling that if Curry leads the Warriors to a Game 7 victory tonight, it will parallel his growing legacy. He’ll most certainly be considered a serious part of that discussion.

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Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group:

He’s getting more aggressive as the series progresses, figuring out the nuances of how to make plays against a formidable defense.
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“It seemed they were trying to trap, and I had a better first step getting around,” said Curry, who totaled 57 points in the last two games at Oracle. “Early in the game, I was able to get downhill and try to keep them honest and not let them go all out above the key to trap and take us out of our offense. So I’ve got to do that in Game 7 and just stick with the program when it comes to how to run our offense.”
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Life figures to be much easier for Curry if he’s defended by Darren Collison or Matt Barnes. They’re no slouches on that end but neither has Paul’s combination of strength and quickness. That’s a big deal for the Warriors because Curry is the straw that stirs the caramel frap.
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The Warriors have a puncher’s chance of stealing Game 7 if Curry can put together one of his dominant performances. Even without dominant big men, the Warriors usually play defense well enough to stay close. But they need 3s to fall, and Curry has a much better chance of draining some if Paul is indeed hobbled.
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Plus, Paul has been less aggressive on offense, especially in the second half, which allowed Curry to guard him without much concern. On defense, he’s bait when he isn’t defending Curry. The Warriors have been posting up Thompson and Andre Iguodala against Paul.
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“I’m OK. I’m OK,” Paul implored after Game 6 when asked about his appearing to labor. “Tough game. Bumps and bruises. You get through it.”
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If he can’t, that’s probably just the opening Curry needs to finish off the Clippers.