When Stephen Curry was coming of age as an NBA All-Star, Chris Paul was one thing of a bully brother to him. He was stronger than Curry. More savvy. A supremely robust matchup for Curry as he was nonetheless constructing his personal power and determining find out how to apply it greatest, actually and figuratively.
Paul’s Clippers eradicated the Warriors within the 2014 playoffs.
And that was the final of Paul having the higher hand.
The subsequent season, Curry received the primary of his two MVPs whereas main the Warriors to 67 wins and the primary of their 4 championships over the subsequent eight years. In 2018, Golden State eradicated Paul’s Rockets, who had a 3-2 sequence lead, for good measure.
Fast ahead to Monday evening. Curry’s Warriors defeated Paul’s Suns, 123-112. Curry had 23 factors on an environment friendly 7-of-13 taking pictures clip, together with 4 of 6 on threes.
One of Curry’s buckets was a troublesome and-one alongside the baseline, on which he kind of bullied Paul — after showing to be pinned within the nook — on his solution to the ring. After the end, Curry appeared to say, “This ain’t 2014 no extra.”
You do not should be Sherlock Holmes to determine what Curry references right here. Again, 2014 was the final time Paul acquired one over on Curry and the Warriors. It’s not refined.
And but, Paul pulled a wonderful bit within the locker room when he acted like he genuinely had no concept what occurred in 2014.
Yeah, that is the good things. Curry knew precisely what he was saying, and as soon as he was knowledgeable of it, so did Paul. The solely factor that makes this somewhat unusual is that Curry has lengthy supplanted Paul atop the purpose guard hierarchy. This hasn’t even been a dialog for nearly a decade. Curry is form of stating the plain right here.
My guess is Curry is not simply drawing consideration to the truth that he beat Paul on the play, however fairly, how he beat him. By out-muscling him. Curry takes a particular satisfaction in his power, which is a official a part of his sport nowadays.
Indeed, Curry has all the time been supremely expert. He was able to dumping any defender along with his slick deal with, even again in 2014. In truth, one among his most well-known strikes ever additionally got here on the expense of Paul, additionally alongside the baseline, again when Paul was nonetheless a Clipper.
Again, Curry has all the time had the razzle-dazzle in his bag. What he did on Monday, preserving his dribble alive, bodying Paul and leveraging his means alongside the baseline for a end via contact, that is a newer addition to Curry’s arsenal. That type of bully ball wasn’t there in 2014.
Either means, Curry going at Paul, or vice versa, is all the time going to be a great time.
Oh, and another factor: As presently seeded, the No. 4 Suns and No. 5 Warriors are slotted to play one another within the first spherical of the playoffs.
