Stephen Curry is an underrated defender.
Which doesn’t sit well with him.
He’d rather be a properly rated defender, getting the credit he deserves for that end.
Curry has had a tough time shaking a reputation that took hold during those Warriors-Cavaliers NBA Finals, when LeBron James repeatedly targeted him. And yes, Curry was Golden State’s weak link defensively.
Steph’s reaction to being called a two-way player is incredible 🤣 pic.twitter.com/7yHm6cFKRK
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) May 16, 2022
But that was relative to Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and Harrison Barnes/Kevin Durant. Hardly an indictment. And who was stopping LeBron, anyway?
In reality, Curry is a solid defender – smart and competitive. He has gotten physically stronger over the years, able to hold up in more matchups. He uses his quick hands to get steals. He finds holes to grab helpful rebounds.
Curry just wants recognition for it.
So, when Mark Haynes of ClutchPoints prefaced a question to Curry with “Being the two-way player that you are…,” Curry had quite the reaction.
NBC Sports Bay Area:
That’s so pure, so enjoyable.
With Jordan Poole and a post-injury version of Klay Thompson holding bigger roles, Golden State has needed Curry to defend even better this season. He has delivered with an increased commitment on that end.
Of course, Luka Doncic, Jalen Brunson and the Mavericks will be a whole other challenge in the Western Conference finals.
