Curry a Spicy Fan Favorite at Summer League
The Warriors top pick hasn't met a shot he hasn't liked.
Getty Images
You can guess who is taking the next shot.
This is Summer League basketball in Vegas baby — nobody is here to see defense or a well set pick. Fans want the show, the fearless shooter, the gunner without a conscious.
The fans in Vegas love Stephen Curry.
The Golden State Warrior’s first round pick was built for Summer League — and for Don Nelson’s run-and-gun system. He is a gunner to the point of recklessness — but what fan doesn’t want to see that. He has not met a shot he didn’t like.
Making said shots... well, maybe that will come with time. He was 4 of 14 in his first game, 8 of 22 in his second, 7 of 19 in the third. In case you’re not up for the math, that is 34.5%. He’s better from three — 39 % — and tends to drain those if you leave him open.
Not only do the fans not care, neither do the coaches.
“The shots he’s missing now he will make soon, he’s learning to make decisions,” said Keith Smart, who coaches the Warriors Summer League team.
You can see how Curry could fit well as a point guard — a shoot-first point guard, sure, but he has the ball handling skills and made some good decisions trying to set up teammates. In the third game, with some Warrior regulars around him, Curry was clearly trying to set people up. Of course, then he would jack up a 28-footer.
Curry also can play a little defense — he had a blocked shot and a nice strip of Jeremy Pargo. But he is a skinny kid and is going to have serious trouble with the Deron Williamses and Derek Fishers of the NBA.
Then again he will give them problems too — he has a quick first step and can finish at the rim.
He will make exciting plays, — he will succeed and fail in a spectacular fashion. Which is a great fit in the Vegas Summer League, and the fans here love it. So will the fans in Oakland — at least it will be entertaining.
Copyright NBC Owned Television Stations
Posted Saturday, Jul 18, 2009 - 12:03 PM PST
