There is no denying the greatness of Stephen Curry. However, the Golden State Warriors superstar is having his worst statistical season since his ascension to All-Star status. Therefore, former NBA player Chandler Parsons believes Curry should not receive precedence over some of the other guards in the Western Conference for the All-Star game.
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That being said, it is nearly a guarantee that Curry will be an All-Star, given his popularity among NBA fans and in the media as well. Parsons is aware of that and recognizes that reality. However, he believes the pairing of Clippers guards, James Harden and Norman Powell, have been phenomenal this year and deserve All-Star reps ahead of Steph due to their team’s superior seeding.
Parsons said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, “James Harden to me is the one. James Harden deserves to be an All-Star this year. Him and Norman Powell have been absolutely balling. And they currently have a better record than the Warriors.”
James Harden & Norman Powell deserve an All-Star nod more than Steph Curry @ChandlerParsons predicts which point guards in the West will be selected to the NBA All-Star Game
WE’RE LIVE ⬇️https://t.co/CfAwAvgFYZ pic.twitter.com/w5wWsTdKIa
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) December 24, 2024
The Clippers are sixth in the West with a 17-13 record, one game ahead of Curry’s Warriors, who currently sit at the 8th spot. LA is without Kawhi Leonard, who is sidelined due to injury, and the recently departed Paul George.
But instead of folding under the pressure, Harden (22.0 points per game) and Powell (24.1 points per game) have elevated their game to the next level, and are averaging more points than Curry (21.8 points per game) this season.
Parsons also put Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving of the Mavericks ahead of Curry. This is more objective an opinion because the Mavs are fourth in the West, much ahead of the pack. But Curry deserves some flowers for being the lone All-Star caliber guard of his team.
The All-Star game is a popularity contest at the end of the day and the fan-voting reflects that every year. There is a reason why LeBron James and Stephen Curry are consistently at the top of the leaderboards of All-Star voting. That isn’t to say that Curry isn’t deserving of an All-Star nod.
Parsons even establishes that the four-time NBA Champion’s performance warrants the accolade. However, he believes that his 11th All-Star selection could have come under better circumstances.
Has Father Time caught up to Curry?
Similar to LeBron James, Curry has defied the odds of age to continue to perform at an elite level. The 36-year-old is pushing the boundaries of what is to be expected of a player at his age. But it seems that Father Time is slowly caching up with the Dubs guard.
Curry hasn’t looked like his usual self this season. In December, his game has taken a drastic dip compared to his play earlier in the season. The 10-time All-NBA member is averaging an abysmal 38.4% shooting from the field in recent times. His struggles are in line with the team’s decline as well.
The NBA’s all-time three-point leader can quickly turn things around. He displayed such ability in the Paris Olympics during Team USA’s final two games. However, the Warriors will need a long consistent stretch from Curry to return to a contender spot in the West.
