Would prime Jordan or Payton be able top stop Curry?

[plowking]

He'd be even better. Much easier to shake off guys back then with it being 1vs1 focused, and the closer they guard Curry the worse it is for them. Dudes handles are some of the best ever.

Handchecking is still prevalent today. The defence isn't any more physical. It was dirtier back then and you could get away with more without being thrown out. That is the only difference.

[Rocketswin2013]

He'd bomb away from 30+ and embarrass both.

[r0drig0lac]

even today, without the thousand Green / Bogut illegal screens, Curry would not be putting these numbers with this efficiency

[OldSchoolBBall]

He'd be even better. Much easier to shake off guys back then with it being 1vs1 focused, and the closer they guard Curry the worse it is for them. Dudes handles are some of the best ever.

Handchecking is still prevalent today. The defence isn't any more physical. It was dirtier back then and you could get away with more without being thrown out. That is the only difference.

You keep telling yourself that, yet a cursory look at any playoff game from '92-'97 will show that PG's had to play much differently than they do today due to less freedom of movement and greater physicality. Even guys with great handles and in many cases better athleticism than Curry (Tim Hardaway, Kevin Johnson) had to turn their backs and protect the ball in ways Curry doesn't have to worry about nowadays.

[32jazz]

You keep telling yourself that, yet a cursory look at any playoff game from '92-'97 will show that PG's had to play much differently than they do today due to less freedom of movement and greater physicality. Even guys with great handles and in many cases better athleticism than Curry (Tim Hardaway, Kevin Johnson) had to turn their backs and protect the ball in ways Curry doesn't have to worry about nowadays.

And at the same time I can admit that Gary Payton may struggle a bit today( although he sees himself in John Wall who is faster ), but KJ would absolutely flourish.

For instance NFL QB ratings have David Garrard,Jason Campbell, Brian Griese, Matt Shaub , & dozens of others ahead of John Unitas/ Elway.

Different games with the rule changes to open up Offense( same as basketball).


Silly to compare numbers across eras as if they are the same players/ rules.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Curry would be great then too. Superstar status without question.

How great though? I still contend that he would be slightly less productive (and efficient) because of the physical play allowed on the perimeter. From handchecking to hard fouls - hell, you teleport him to the early 2000s, circa 2000-2004, where the league had its best combination of DRTG and pace, and it would be just like the 90s.

Having watched and lived thru both era's, I'm fairly certain this is how it would play out.

[plowking]

You keep telling yourself that, yet a cursory look at any playoff game from '92-'97 will show that PG's had to play much differently than they do today due to less freedom of movement and greater physicality. Even guys with great handles and in many cases better athleticism than Curry (Tim Hardaway, Kevin Johnson) had to turn their backs and protect the ball in ways Curry doesn't have to worry about nowadays.

Dadda has told me Curry is just a smaller Reggie Miller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YglJ0u3jv4

Take this game for example. 92... Reggie Miller. Where is the physicality? Where is this mythical no blood, no foul type basketball. I constantly get told plays like 2:45 wouldn't be fouls back then. But that is exactly what I am watching... back then, and it is a foul.
I was told plays like 0:30 wouldn't be fouls either... Somehow, it is called.

Where are all these handchecks on Reggie as he drives? Would that not be the best thing to do on an average ball handler like Reggie? A lot of times he goes in without being touched.

Look at 2:55...
I thought these weren't fouls. Funnily enough it is Curry's dad committing the foul.



Let us take a look at the first highlight video of Curry that you type in in youtube...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BRpfyb4tXk

Look at where he is picked up. Half court line at times. Look at the play at 2:25... Parker drenched all over him. Hand check here, push there, no call, finally gets hit at the ring by the big down there and gets the call on him.

Look at the plays Patty Mills guards him. Hands everywhere, on him like a shirt on a coathanger, and yet still gets burnt despite being one of the quickest guys in the league.

Who's giant hand is that on Curry after he comes off a screen at 3:00? Oh, it's Kawhi, the DPOY, and he still drills a 29 footer. Look at the very next play where he misses against Parker. 30 feet out, and Parker has hands all over him.

3:44, is that Simmons with a hand check from 30 feet out all the way to the ring on Curry? I think it is...

Anyway, keep looking for yourself. It really is fun to watch.

The 90's definitely would have guarded him better. You know, since the guys now have had 5+ years to try and guard these 30 footers and they still haven't worked it out.

[32jazz]

Curry would be great then too. Superstar status without question.

How great though? I still contend that he would be slightly less productive (and efficient) because of the physical play allowed on the perimeter. From handchecking to hard fouls - hell, you teleport him to the early 2000s, circa 2000-2004, where the league had its best combination of DRTG and pace, and it would be just like the 90s.

Having watched and lived thru both era's, I'm fairly certain this is how it would play out.

Not just the physicality ,but the philosophy.

Inside out was the philosophy & jacking 3' s ( even if you were efficient as Bird , Hersey Hawkins - 40% plus or many others ) wasnt exactly encouraged.

Not just game play ,but philosophy was different. Philosophy.

Philosophy.

Not sure Curry would be allowed to play PG in the past & it was a question whether he could play PG today.

[Fire Colangelo]

Anyone who thinks that Curry is putting up the same numbers he's putting up today in the 1990-1998 NBA is kidding themselves. He'd still be in the 25 pt/4--5 reb/5-6 ast range, but on like 47-48% FG/59-62% TS. Still excellent, all-time great type of numbers, but not what he's doing today.

So Steph Curry = Reggie Miller, because that's exactly what Reggie Miller did in the 90s.

[plowking]

So Steph Curry = Reggie Miller, because that's exactly what Reggie Miller did in the 90s.

Give him a break. He probably meant in 25 minutes of play.

[OldSchoolBBall]

So Steph Curry = Reggie Miller, because that's exactly what Reggie Miller did in the 90s.

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.

[!@#$%Vectors!@#]

even today, without the thousand Green / Bogut illegal screens, Curry would not be putting these numbers with this efficiency

still shook over the loss from monday? calm down.

[Dresta]

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.

How could anyone possibly know all this? People really need to drop the pointless and unprovable counterfactuals (and pretending their abstract speculations are some kind of evidence for anything): they are boring and can easily be argued either way and not be disproven.

[JohnFreeman]

The defense looks pathetic in the 80's and 90s

any superstar now would have a field day back then

[CarlosBoozer]

The only difference is he'll be less flashy with handles due handchecking and with a slight decrease on his 3pt/fg %. No one can stop his shooting, even on bad days he'll at least get 3-5 pointers.