Making history attracts praise as well as criticism. Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors have reached an historical 52-5 mark this season, and this week they earned their fair share of critique from several former NBA players.
Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson alluded to Curry’s success as being a product of the style of today’s NBA on ESPN’s Mike and Mike this week. Here’s a snippet of Robertson’s comments (transcript from NJ.com):
“I just don’t think coaches today in basketball understand the game of basketball,” Robertson said. “They don’t know anything about defenses. They don’t know what people are doing on the court. [Curry] has shot well because of what’s going on in basketball today.
” . . . When I played years ago, if you shot a shot outside and hit it, the next time I’m going to be up on top of you. I’m going to pressure you with three-quarters, half-court defense. But now they don’t do that. These coaches do not understand the game of basketball, as far as I’m concerned.”
Then, retired players Stephen Jackson (2006-07 Warriors) and Cedric Ceballos (1993-94 Suns) both insisted that their former teams would beat this Warriors team in a playoff series.
Stephen Curry had a chance to respond to the latest criticism on the Warriors Plus/Minus podcast with Marcus Thompson and Tim Kawakami of the Bay Area News Group:
“It’s starting to get a little annoying just because it’s kind of unwarranted from across the board,” Curry said on the “Warriors Plus/Minus” podcast by the Bay Area News Group on Friday. “We have a very competent group, and we have fun when we’re out there on the floor, and it shows, obviously.
“We enjoy what we do. But for the most part, you don’t hear us talking about, you know, comparing ourselves to other great teams and ‘We could beat this team, we’re better than this team.’ We’re living in the moment.”
Curry and the Warriors have peaked along with the need for the public and the media to have these conversations, but they’ve earned the right to be in these conversations. They’ve also earned the right to enjoy their success at the moment, and Curry is already enjoying making light of their latest critics with teammates Andrew Bogut and Draymond Green on Twitter.
My under 14 team in Melbourne Australia would have beat these @warriors 109-99. Fat Jimmy would have locked down @StephenCurry30 !!!!
— Andrew Bogut (@andrewbogut) February 26, 2016
Cmon man! Call fat jimmy up & tell him im looking for him https://t.co/tKKkjP16J2
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) February 26, 2016
Tell Big Jimmy you and I have illegal screens for days to allow Steph to get his shot off! https://t.co/Q9lc0IMk3a
— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) February 26, 2016
