Would prime Jordan or Payton be able top stop Curry?

[La Frescobaldi]

I am not agree, it seems that people tend to forget how quick prime Jordan was. Kawhi a little bit too big and slow for Curry, which doesn't undermine Kawhi's qualities, it was a desperate move by SPURS.

yeah maybe so. maybe so.

[3ball]

Those vids of Kobe and Grant don't say much about defending Curry

MJ locks down Isiah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9MfhFFE7fc&t=0m28s

MJ locks down Isiah again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q53GLDrhMkY

MJ locks down Isiah again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQZnESjOkyA

MJ locks down Rod Strickland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3JqY3CECW8Rod

MJ locked down Stockton frequently in 1997 and 1998 Finals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOuMwmXtgd0

MJ did a good job on Kevin Johnson in 1993 Finals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K2rBgOqGCw

MJ did good job on Tim Hardaway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9ouMPqEk-s



[COLOR="Navy"]So why speculate when there's plenty of video showing MJ defending short point guards - [COLOR="darkred"]do you guys realize that SG's must FREQUENTLY guard point guards?[/COLOR][/COLOR]

Jordan's defense

[COLOR="Navy"]Popovich said Kawhi isn't MJ:[/COLOR]

"(Kawhi) has the ability to do what a Michael Jordan did at both ends, and I don’t mean he’s Michael Jordan,” Popovich said. “But you think about the best players in the league, they’re not two-way players. He wants to do that.”

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...rdan/75612616/

[COLOR="Navy"]So take Kawhi's defensive capability, give him better quickness so he can guard short PG's like MJ could, and then give him the capability to score 15 ppg more - that's MJ... That's the GOAT[/COLOR]

[iznogood]

I don't think that handchecking alone makes things for Curry much more difficoult. If anything, by being close enough to effectively hand check you put yourself in a position where it's very easy for a good ball handler to drive you straight into a screen. Another peoblem is that Curry often goes throug tons of screens before he even touches the ball, which puts the defender in a bad position to begin with. But after that you stil have defend one ore more pick and rolls. I don't think there's any player in the history of the league that could stop Curry. That being said, Jordan would do better against Curry than either Delly or Kawhi, because he was much quicker.

[brain drain]

MJ locks down Isiah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9MfhFFE7fc&t=0m28s

MJ locks down Isiah again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q53GLDrhMkY

MJ locks down Isiah again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQZnESjOkyA

MJ locks down Rod Strickland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3JqY3CECW8Rod

MJ locked down Stockton frequently in 1997 and 1998 Finals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOuMwmXtgd0

MJ did a good job on Kevin Johnson in 1993 Finals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K2rBgOqGCw

MJ did good job on Tim Hardaway: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9ouMPqEk-s



[COLOR="Navy"]So why speculate when there's plenty of video showing MJ defending short point guards - [COLOR="darkred"]do you guys realize that SG's must FREQUENTLY guard point guards?[/COLOR][/COLOR]


[COLOR="Navy"]Popovich said Kawhi isn't MJ:[/COLOR]
[/B]

"(Kawhi) has the ability to do what a Michael Jordan did at both ends, and I don’t mean he’s Michael Jordan,” Popovich said. “But you think about the best players in the league, they’re not two-way players. He wants to do that.”

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...rdan/75612616/

[COLOR="Navy"]So take Kawhi's defensive capability, give him better quickness so he can guard short PG's like MJ could, and then give him the capability to score 15 ppg more - that's MJ... That's the GOAT[/COLOR]

Again, those videos don't tell much about defending Curry. Just look at MJ letting Isiah comfortably walk up to the 3pt line - do that with Curry and the ball's in the net. None of these guys have anywhere the combination of handles, speed, ability to shoot off the dribble, accuracy and range that Curry has. None of them was anywhere as good as scorer and hand anywhere close an effect on opposing defenses as Curry.

That's as if somebody posted a video of Kawhi shutting down Paul George and took that as proof that Kawhi could shut down prime MJ.

[3ball]

Again, those videos don't tell much about defending Curry. Just look at MJ letting Isiah comfortably walk up to the 3pt line - do that with Curry and the ball's in the net. None of these guys have anywhere the combination of handles, speed, accuracy and range that Curry has. Noe of them was anywhere as good as scorer and hand anywhere close an effect on opposing defenses as Curry.

That's as if somebody posted a video of Kawhi shutting down Paul George and took that as proof that Kawhi could shut down prime MJ.

gtfo dude - first you said the grant hill and kobe videos don't tell you anything, now you're switching it up and saying MJ locking down some of the best, short PG's in history doesn't tell you anything about MJ guarding Curry.

No one is saying MJ would lock Curry down every game - Curry would have ok numbers in a lot of games.. But the POINT is that MJ and Payton would do a better job than anyone else in history against Curry... and yeah, they'd completely lock him down some games, just like Dellavadova did.

[eeeeeebro]

jordan was an all defensive player of the year every year damn near and averaged around 3 steals per game he would obviously impact curry - derrick rose is not as good of a defender as jordan and he effects curry.

[LAZERUSS]

Neither would have a chance. Curry has the greatest range, and the greatest handles in NBA history...and when I say it is not even close...it isn't.

He would score at will against both. He would consistently hit 30+ foot shots against them, and then after he blew by them, there was nothing in the middle of the Bulls lineup but statues like Longley.

I would say that Pippen would probably do a better job, though. He is arguably the GOAT perimeter defender in NBA history.

[Fire Colangelo]

Err, no. Miller never cracked 25 ppg and was only above 22 ppg twice. He was generally a 20-21 ppg scorer. Curry would be at ~25 ppg annually - maybe 28 on the top end for a season or two. There is no chance he has a 68% TS; he'd top out around 63% depending on ppg volume. Again, still all-time great level numbers.

Reggie Miller hit 24.6PPG on 65% TS in 1990, and hit 25+ PPG in multiple playoff series. This atleast shows that he has the ability to do it.

Now while Reggie Miller was regarded as the best shooter of all time in his time, I think we can both come to an agreement that Curry is twice the shooter/player Reggie Miller is.


You're basically saying that at his peak, and throughout his prime Curry is going to average ~3 more points on worse efficiency than Reggie Miller did. Does that make any sense to you?

From 1990-1993, the league scored higher PPG on higher FG% and played in a slightly faster pace. Yet we're supposed to believe that Curry would be LESS efficient while scoring LESS points in the early 1990s? Do you actually believe the stuff you're saying?

Now add in the fact that there was a shortened 3 point line in 1995. Curry would wreck everyone.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Neither would have a chance. Curry has the greatest range, and the greatest handles in NBA history...and when I say it is not even close...it isn't.

He would score at will against both. He would consistently hit 30+ foot shots against them, and then after he blew by them, there was nothing in the middle of the Bulls lineup but statues like Longley.

I would say that Pippen would probably do a better job, though. He is arguably the GOAT perimeter defender in NBA history.

No he wouldn't.

And no, Pippen wouldn't "fare better" than Jordan who was quicker and the better 1-on-1 defender.

Curry is getting his, but if you're allowed to play physical and actually put your hands on him, full court, there's no way he isn't less effective.

[Da_Realist]

Stop? No. It's tough to stop a great off-ball scorer with great range and such a quick release.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Stop? No. It's tough to stop a great off-ball scorer with great range and such a quick release.

Yeah. At best Jordan, Payton or even Pippen could do is help contain him. Curry isn't gonna be stopped no more than he "scores at will" against these guys, with the old rules.

[3ball]

[COLOR="Red"]Reggie Miller hit 24.6PPG[/COLOR] on 65% TS in 1990, and hit 25+ PPG in multiple playoff series. This atleast shows that he has the ability to do it.

Reggie Miller averaged 24.5 for ONE SEASON - his career best.

His career average was 18 ppg.. That's the number you should work off to gauge what Curry would do.

[Fire Colangelo]

Reggie Miller averaged 24.5 for ONE SEASON - his career best.

His career average was 18 ppg.. That's the number you should work off to gauge what Curry would do.

Yes, because he played his entire CAREER in the 90s.

He averaged 24.6 in his peak scoring season. The other dude is basically saying that Curry will average ~3 more points than he did on worse efficiency despite being twice the player/shooter.

[AirBonner]

Reggie Miller averaged 24.5 for ONE SEASON - his career best.

His career average was 18 ppg.. That's the number you should work off to gauge what Curry would do.

Watered-down expansion. Curry would avg 40ppg on 55%

[imdaman99]

To stop Curry, you need full team cooperation. You think Payton or MJ could fight through a 100 screens? They would die of exhaustion. Because of the Warriors spacing and all their players ability to hit a 3 or drive to the basket and find someone for an open layup, we often see a big man with slow feet guarding Curry. How many times did we see Tristan Thompson on Curry in the finals? Often enough.

You need elite team defense, I'm talking the 90s Knicks, 90s Bulls, '04 Pistons, '08 Celtics.