When you start talking about the best handles in the NBA, there are several names that inevitably come up – Jamal Crawford, Chris Paul, James Harden, etc. – but two players in particular have set themselves apart from the rest of the pack: Steph Curry and Kyrie Irving.
Luckily for us, these two magicians are set to go head-to-head in the NBA Finals, which begin next Thursday on ABC. Everyone has an opinion when it comes to who reigns supreme in this category, and it’s always subjective to a certain extent. There’s really no wrong answer here, given that both are as quick as a house cat, not to mention uniquely ambidextrous with both their dribbling and their astonishing ability to finish around the rim.
They’re so impressive that even Allen Iverson – who took the killer crossover into a whole new stratosphere – has claimed they both have better handles than he ever had, but that’s a debate for another day. What he’s alluding to, however, is the fact that both Irving and Curry boast a mesmerizing repertoire of crossovers, behind-the-back dribbles, hesitations, spin-moves and neck-breaking changes of direction that leave even the league’s very best defenders looking foolish.
One aspect that gives Curry the edge is his dead-eye shooting, which means even the slightest up-fake on his part anywhere around the perimeter has defenders jumping around like they’re on pogo sticks, but for my money, Irving has just a few more tricks up his sleeve, even if that means he can be a little overly flashy when it isn’t necessary.
The NBA finals certainly isn’t a dribbling contest, but it’ll sure be fun watching two of the most entertaining point guards in the game battle it out on the world’s biggest stage.
(via NBA)