NBA Playoffs 2013: Breaking Down Tony Parker vs. Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry has been the most exciting player throughout the 2013 NBA playoffs. (Photo Credit: Keith Allison, Flickr.com)

After watching Game 1 between the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors in the 2013 NBA playoffs, it’s evident that an epic series is on the horizon and that’s because of Tony Parker and Stephen Curry.

The two star point guards have been instrumental in their team’s advancing to the second round of the playoffs, as they’re both leading their respected teams in scoring and are in charge of running the offense and making plays.

Parker led the Spurs to a clean 4-0 sweep of the struggling Los Angeles Lakers while Curry’s scorching 3-point shooting saw the Warriors oust the Denver Nuggets in six games.

Since these two will be going head-to-head, let’s take a look at Parker and Curry’s numbers in the postseason so far.

Stephen Curry:

Tony Parker:

Ultimately, this series is going to be won at the point guard position. As we saw in the first round, Curry has the ability to take over the game as arguably the purest shooter in the NBA and Parker not only can get to the rim and finish, but his excellent court vision and chemistry with Tim Duncan make him dangerous.

These two have different games, but each excels at what their physical abilities allow them to do.

Parker’s Game

Not known as a jump shooter, Tony Parker is going to try to break you down off the dribble and get to the rim. He’s excellent at using the rim to his advantage to distance himself from blocked shots and score on the reverse.

That’s not to say that Parker can’t knock down jumpers—if you watched the video above then my point is proven—but Parker is better served when driving to the basket.

At 6’2″, 185 pounds, Parker has a decent frame that allows him to absorb contact and finish three-point plays in the paint and his passing skills are up there with some of the best in the NBA.

What makes Parker so dangerous is his driving ability and chemistry with tenured teammates Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili. These guys have been playing together for years and practically know each other’s moves before they make them.

Curry’s Game

Three-point shooting.

Need I say more?

He’s easily the NBA’s best shooter from beyond the arc and he’s put that talent on display during the playoffs, as you can see from his 44-percent 3-point mark in the table above.

Oh, and he’s dominating the third quarter this postseason (via NBA.com):

Curry’s frame makes him susceptible to contact and bigger defenders, but his ball handling skills definitely make up for it. He’s one of the best shooters off the dribble and doesn’t need a lot of room to get shots up because of his quick release.

We’ve seen Curry drive to the rim and finish, but because of his size and sniping talent from outside, I think it’s safe to say Curry would rather launch from downtown.

And as fans, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Advantage

This is tough for me because I absolutely love what Steph Curry is doing for Golden State. Besides LeBron James, I think he’s the most exciting player to watch in the NBA, but I’m going to have to give Parker the edge in this matchup, mainly because of experience.

The playoffs are uncharted territory for Curry, while Parker is a grizzled veteran and has the playoff experience necessary to lead the Spurs to the Western Conference finals.

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