Before I even start this blog entry, let me just say "wow!" What Stephen Curry has done in the last two games has been downright incredible. I'm sure by now, most people are well aware of what he has done, and even more have chimed in with their two cents. So why I am chiming in as well? Mostly because I just can't get enough of the story, and something this incredible deserves as much attention as it is getting. So, let me just start off by congratulating not just Curry, but the entire Davidson team on this great run to the Sweet Sixteen. I, and probably many more, will be pulling for you when you take on the Badgers of Wisconsin this Friday night.
Anyway, this blog entry is really centered on what Stephen Curry has done. Let's just get the blunt numbers out there right now:
- 40 points vs. Gonzaga, including 30 in the second half
- 30 points vs. Georgtown, 25 in the second half
If you find that amazing, consider this:
- Line against Gonzaga: 40 pts. on 14-22 shooting, 8-10 from the three, and 4-6 from the free throw line.
- Against Georgetown: 30 pts. on 8-21 shooting, 5-15 from the three, and 9-10 from the free throw line.
- That means in two games he has shot 22-43, or 51%, 13-25 or 52%, and 13-16 or 81%. That is remarkable.
Of course, lost in all of that is the fact that he his a pretty good passer. He only had 7 assists in the two games, but he made some passes that didn't always lead to scores that were still very good. Another thing that impresses me is that he has only had 2 turnovers in the two games. Someone who has the ball in his hands as much as Curry does, generally turns the ball over at a higher clip, but he manages to hold onto the ball more often then not. However, the most impressive of all of these things, is the fact that he is willing to take some chances. Two plays stand out from the first two games. The first, from the Gonzaga game, was his three off of Lovedale's offensive board that broke a 74-74 tie with 90 seconds left. Not only did he shoot and make it, but he didn't hesitate for even a split second. He knew right when Lovedale scooped it up he was letting it go no matter what. That takes a lot of guts. The other play, against Georgetown, was the behind-the-back three with a hand in his face up 2. There was just under 3 minutes left in that game, Davidson was trying to use some of the clock, and Curry just let it fly why there was still 11 seconds on the shot clock. That shot was about as contested as you can get, and again he didn't hesitate. Those two shots were cold-blooded, and taking those kinds of shots takes a lot of guts. There is a Jordanesque way about Curry. As if, when he is on the court, he is saying, "We can play anytime, anyplace, and I will still win." Of course, it is no surpise that he has that chip on his shoulder. We all know the story. Lightly recruited by the big schools out of high school, none of them would offer him a scholarship. Not even his dad's alma mater, Virginia Tech would offer, they wanted him to walk-on. Well, I know this will be said numerous times before Friday, but how do you think they feel now? Watching Curry, and the way he moves without the ball, I finally realized who he reminds me of the most. Reggie Miller. I know Curry is not quite as big, but the all the other comparisns are there. Both have unlimited range, both move well without the ball, but there was something else Curry can do that Reggie didn't quite have. Curry can take the ball to the basket. That's why, if you ever want to try to think of a comparisn, a good one would be a cross between Miller and Monta Ellis. Curry is of the same build and he has the drive and mid range game just as Ellis does.
To wrap things up, Stephen Curry has been the best thing the tourney as had since George Mason made their run two years ago. However, on just a player level, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone that has been able to do what Curry has, at least in this day in age. There have been some great single game performances over the years: Gerry McNamera with 43 in 2004 against BYU, Wally Szczerbiak with 43 in 1999 against Washington, Sean May in the 2005 title game, I would even put Jack McClinton's 32 point second half against St. Mary's this year in that category. There have also been some pretty good "take-over" performances. The one that comes to mind the most would be Deron Williams final 3 minutes and overtime against Arizona in 2005 when he seemingly couldn't miss. But none of those carried the same significance as Curry's had, sans maybe Deron Williams' run. Just look at his team's situations in each game and you will see what I mean. Down 11 to Gonzaga with 15:43 to go, Curry took over. He scored 16 of his team's next 19 points to tie it at 64. Down 17 to Georgetown with 17:56 left, they looked dead. Then after the teams traded a few buckets and Davidson trimmed it to 15, he took over again, scoring 25 of his teams last 41, and outscoring Georgetown by himself 25-22. Maybe I am going a little overboard in praising Curry, but I don't think so. What he has done is remarkable, and here is hoping that he can keep it up for two more games.