There was a moment early in the third quarter of Monday night’s Warriors-Pistons clash where Draymond Green flicked a chest pass to a streaking Stephen Curry on the nearside of the court. Curry broke out, but seemed quickly contained with three Pistons already back and a fourth on his way. (Stan Van Gundy has taught his troops well. Nothing kills a team faster than lazy transition defense, where effort really is the most important ingredient.)
Those Pistons were guarding the rim, which is what every basketball player is taught since they gained sentience on the court. But Steph’s shooting forces opponents to re-wire their reptilian basketball brain stem, and the innate, instinctual reflexes have to be unlearned. You guard the three-point line when Steph’s little patch of facial hair is bobbing and weaving towards you in the open floor. Or else this happens.
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So, the above video of Steph launching threes from at least 30 feet out shouldn’t surprise us. No, it’s how harmless the snippet of video seems that transforms it into the transcendental, at least for those people who see true beauty in a wet jumper. This is part of Steph’s usual pregame routine, too. Three 30-footers: one going to his left, one going to his right and one in the middle.
Like Steph’s innocent face, the above video lulls you to sleep with such consistent marksmanship. It’s the equivalent of cracking your knuckles, or simply taking a deep breath; it’s as commonplace as the turns of phrase used to describe it; it’s as primordial as the womb, so just let it rock you to basketball bliss.
Swish.
