Even by Stephen Curry standards, the reigning league MVP is shooting at an absurdly good rate. He’s well on his way to being the all-time leader in single-season 3-pointers by a country mile and is leading the NBA in scoring. As cliché as it is to say, we really are witnessing history and one of the great scorers this sport has ever seen.
According to Curry, though, we won’t ever see him match one of Kobe Bryant‘s all-time jaw-dropping performances: scoring 81 points in a single game.
“Not a chance,” Curry said of matching Kobe’s 81-point game (via the Los Angeles News Group). “There’s a reason why people are still talking about that game to this day. It’s so special.”
Of course, it’s Wilt Chamberlain who has a 100-point game, but Kobe’s 81 is the gold standard for the modern era. That’s still nearly 30 points more than Curry’s career high of 54 against the Knicks in 2013. Certainly, Curry has shown the ability to score in bunches, but the gap between Curry’s best and Kobe’s best on a much crappier team, is still considerable.
Curry may downplay the challenge, but it’s worth noting he’s shooting at an unbelievably efficient level given the number of shots he takes per game. His 51 percent field goal percentage is best in the league for someone who has attempted as many shots as he has. (For reference, only the likes of Kevin Durant and LeBron James come close.) Curry also makes shots that have no business going in. It’s almost like his entire season has been a heat check.
What we’re trying to say is, if anyone can top Kobe’s 81, it’s Curry at the level he’s playing right now. Curry’s biggest obstacle to matching Kobe is actually a positive; his teammates are just too damn talented to ignore for an entire game, which is what Steph would have to do to seriously challenge Kobe’s modern-day marvel.
(Via the Los Angeles News Group)
