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Steph Curry’s offensive performances this season have put him firmly in the MVP conversation, but the Warriors don’t want the point guard’s defense to go unnoticed.
While praising all defense, Golden State coach Steve Kerr singled Curry both ways following Wednesday’s 111-107 win over the Indiana Pacers.
“I think Steph’s defense this year has been totally overlooked because everyone has been stuck on their score and their shot,” Kerr said. “But his defense has been fantastic.”
Curry’s ball defense this season may be his best since 2015-16, when he became the first unanimous NBA MVP in league history. Opponents guarded by Curry shoot 43.5% from the field, 1.2 percentage points worse only when not guarded by him, according to NBA Advanced Stats.
While Curry currently averages just 1.2 steals per game, he is third among the Warriors in deflections per game (2.5). That average is 22nd among NBA guards and is Curry’s highest since 2016-17 (3.3).
“He’s active, active as hell,” Paschall said of Curry. “He holds up on records and plays really well. I feel like he’s very underrated, but at the same time he’s doing so much on offense that people are neglecting his defense. But he does a hell of a job. . “
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The Warriors have allowed 8.1 points less per 100 possessions with him on the floor (102.3) than they have with him on the field, but he was part of Golden State’s top defensive unit this past. season. Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kevon Looney – the Warriors’ starting lineup when healthy – posted a defensive rating of 93.1 in 106 minutes together. This is the highest rating in the NBA among groups of five players who have played at least 100 minutes.
Of course, the Warriors also score an extra 13.3 points for every 100 possessions with Curry on the pitch, which would be more than enough to keep him down if he didn’t earn praise for his defense. But Golden State believes Curry played a pivotal role in his defense in the top five, and that may well deserve additional consideration for the MVP twice for this third.
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