Stephen Curry is inarguably the greatest shooter in NBA history. His limitless range and unfathomable prowess from beyond the arc changed how the game is played in the league. While Curry is head and shoulders above his competition, one of his peers, Damian Lillard, has provided ample competition to the Golden State Warriors superstar.
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Since the 2015-16 season, Curry has hit 2,412 three-pointers, whereas Lillard has banked 1,927. While the Warriors icon has had the edge over the Milwaukee Bucks superstar over the course of their careers, let’s assess, how have they fared this year.
Stephen Curry’s three-point shooting in the 2023-24 season
This season, Stephen Curry averages 11.8 three-point attempts per game, the second-highest mark of his career. He’s converting an impressive 41% of his shots from beyond the arc and is averaging a league-high 4.8 three-point makes per game.
Curry is sensational from the corner. He has made 39-of-82 attempts from 20-24 feet, an incredible 47.6% conversion rate. He’s impressive from slightly behind the three-point line as well with 402 attempted shots from 25 to 29 feet away from the basket, converting 41.5% of them. However, he hasn’t been as efficient on Hail Mary heaves from 30 or more feet from the basket as he has attempted 36 shots from 30 feet and beyond and hit only seven, giving him a dismal conversion rate of 22.5%.
Curry continues to be an exceptional shooter despite his team’s poor 22-25 record.
Damian Lillard’s three-point shooting in the 2023-24 season
Damian Lillard’s move to Milwaukee has affected his scoring prowess. He’s averaging 8.5 three-point attempts per game, the third-lowest mark of his career. The fewer shot attempts should logically give him a higher conversion rate, but on the contrary, he’s struggling. He’s sinking only 34.8% of his three-point attempts, the second-worst mark of his career since he started averaging at least seven attempts per game.
The underlying numbers also paint a sorry picture about Lillard’s three-point shooting this season. From 24 feet, he’s converted only 16 of 49 attempts, a poor conversion rate of 32.7%. He’s been slightly better from 25 to 29 feet, sinking 111 of 313 attempts for a shooting percentage of 35.5. Lillard has built a reputation for being able to sink shots from way beyond the arc. However, of his 39 three-point attempts from 30 feet and beyond, only 12 have sunk into the basket.
The numbers show that Curry has been a much better shooter from beyond the arc than Lillard. While the Warriors superstar is thriving despite his increased workload, the Bucks guard is struggling on a team that boasts two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. If there was any doubt about who was the better shooter from long distance between Curry and Lillard, it’s no longer a debate. The Warriors icon is significantly having a better season than his counterpart.
