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Is Stephen Curry A Most Improved Player Of The Year Candidate?

By Gerald Bourguet

Dec 11, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) pumps his fists after making a shot during the second half of the Golden State Warriors 124-119 double overtime win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 11, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) pumps his fists after making a shot during the second half of the Golden State Warriors 124-119 double overtime win over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Golden State Warriors
Nov 27, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry reacts after a shot in the second half against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Warriors defeated the Suns 135-116. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

Other Improvements

Curry is so much more than a scorer and a shooter, however. Even when he’s not scoring, just the threat of him being on the floor provides the Warriors with an effective decoy that allows players like Draymond Green and Klay Thompson to capitalize on 4-on-3 situations, especially since he’s the league’s most dangerous pick-and-roll ball handler.

Green’s ability to make plays as the roll man is a huge part of that, but Curry leads the league in points per possessions at 1.08 as the ball handler in pick-and-roll sets (among players who have run at least 100 such possessions).

Defenses have to pick their poison. Going under the screen gives Curry too much space to launch a three. Going over it allows Curry to get a full head of steam and attack the rim, or find Green popping out for a three. Double-teaming Curry provides Green with an opportunity to attack 4-on-3 situations. There isn’t a more deadly pick-and-roll duo in the league right now.

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    • Curry’s assist numbers are down, but the Warriors move the ball so well that it’s hard to fault him for that, especially since those numbers would go up if the league were to start keeping track of hockey assists. It’s no wonder Curry has improved his offensive rating from 114.2 last year to 116.9 this season.

    But the offensive end of the floor isn’t the only area where Curry has improved his game. On the defensive end, Curry has improved his defensive rating from 97.2 last year to 96.1 this season.

    He’s also holding opponents to 1.9 percent worse shooting than they’d normally shoot, which is down from the -2.8 defensive field goal percentage he posted last year, but that’s to be expected now that the Dubs no longer have to hide Curry on that end of the floor.

    When you combine Curry’s unbelievable scoring prowess with the marginal improvements he’s made in nearly every other area of his game, it’s hard to ignore his case for the Most Improved Player Award.

    Next: Caveats

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