Among the more memorable benchmarks behind Stephen Curry’s ascent from shooting ace to global superstar occurred when he executed a dazzling move that took down the NBA’s king of point guards.
Curry’s ruthless dropping of Chris Paul happened 10 years ago but remains an iconic moment in a Warriors career that later yielded two MVP awards, four NBA championships and one NBA Finals MVP award.
And here they are again Wednesday night, meeting for perhaps the final time, when Curry and the Warriors face Paul and the San Antonio Spurs at Chase Center. Coverage on NBC Sports Bay Area begins at with “Warriors Pregame Live” at 6 p.m., with tipoff scheduled for 7.
While the Warriors (47-32) are fighting for a playoff berth, the Spurs have nothing to play for except pride. And no one in the league is more prideful than Paul. He wants the W.
Curry and Paul have been the league’s preeminent point guards over the past 20 seasons. Their styles differed, with Curry building an identity on showmanship and superb shooting, while Paul is the more traditional playmaker and floor general nicknamed the “Point God.”
But how long can they keep going after each other?
Curry turned 37 last month and is under contract to play at least two more years beyond the current. Paul, who turned 40 next month, signed a one-year contract last summer and weighing his options after San Antonio’s season ends this weekend.
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“At the end of every season,” Paul recently told ESPN, “I evaluate everything. Evaluate playing. Evaluate how my body feels. But the more years that go by, it’s more conversations with my family, with my kids. They have a lot of say so. They got a lot of input.”
Dating back to Curry’s rookie season in 2009, this will be the 58th meeting – 39 in the regular season, 18 in the playoffs – between the two future Naismith Basketball Hall of Famers. Curry holds a 32-25 record in the regular season, but they’re 9-9 in the postseason.
Their rivalry was interrupted last season when Curry and Paul were teammates in Golden State. They rarely played together, though, as CP3’s primary role was to lead the second unit.
Paul is back in the starting lineup this season in San Antonio. In defiance of his injury history, he has started all 79 games and is on track for the second 82-game season of his 20-year career. His scoring is down, averaging only 8.8 points per game, but he leads the team in assists at 7.5 per game.
Both remain formidable presences, with Curry (averaging 24.4 points and 6.1 assists per game) still the focal point of opposing teams’ scouting reports and Paul given an active leadership role for the next generation Spurs.
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