Walt Frazier On The Journey To Put Stephen Curry Down, NBA Icon To Help The League Set Up A Special Defense?
Former NBA player Walt Frazier is skeptical on NBA MVP Stephen Curry’s ability to maintain his success.
“Former players, I never had an opportunity for the 3-ball… if there was no 3-ball shot, would we be talking about the greatness of Curry today? What has made him great is his ability, uncanny ability, to shoot from 30 feet, 35 feet, the accuracy that he has shown in making that particular shot.”
Stephen Curry has been making records for the past few years. This year, he has an average of 30.7 points per game, and that is because he usually takes the three-pointer route.
Walt Frazier added that Stephen Curry’s game would be a lot more challenging if the three-point gameplays were removed. Since defense was Walt Frazier’s forte, he said that he has experience in guarding guys like Stephen Curry. He said that if he was guarding him, Curry would have 25 2-pointers in a game, but he doubts that he can aim for his 3-pointers “because I’m gonna be forcing him inside of the arc.”
“So this is what the former players are saying: How do you let a guy continue to do what he does, and you know what he’s trying to do is make the 3-point shot?”
Though Stephen Curry still has outstanding numbers on assists and 2-pointers, Walt Frazier is very skeptical on the possibility that Curry can play like this for the next five years.
“I don’t really think so. So I don’t know if he’ll ever reach this level again.”
Defeating The Stephen Curry Streak
Recalling the other games, Walt Frazier said Stephen Curry is not the only one who does 3’s. However, people are more focused on him “because he’s a champion and it’s just uncanny and remarkable, when the game is on the line, this guy’s accuracy come up with big shots.”
Though Walt Frazier believes the Stephen Curry conundrum can be solved, he was asked by the current-day coaches and players if the NBA fails to do so.
“Well, they’ll have to figure it out, man, if they are to stop these guys. To me, I look at the most phenomenal seasons in the NBA — Wilt Chamberlain averaged 50 points per game, Nate Archibald led the league in scoring and assists, the Big O averaged a triple-double — but they didn’t do that every year, you know what I mean?”
Still, with Walt Frazier’s advice, sports writer James Herbert doubts anyone could stop Stephen Curry right now.
“Let’s be realistic. No one is stopping Curry by pressuring him,” he wrote.
Herbert said that it is not because Stephen Curry is the best 3-pointer of all time that makes him invincible. It is also because he has become an outstanding player at midrange and even at-the-rim shots.
“As long as Curry is a threat from everywhere on the court, there’s no solution to this problem,” Herbert concluded.
[Photo by AP Photo/Matt York]
