In the 2012-13 campaign, the Nuggets had a strong showing in the regular season, finishing third in the Western Conference standings with a 57-25 record, the best in franchise history. Andre Miller and the rest of the roster were gearing up for a deep playoff run but were instead the first victims of Stephen Curry and the Warriors’ forthcoming reign of terror.
Advertisement
During an appearance on The Forgotten Seasons podcast, the retired guard spoke about witnessing the Splash Brothers’ unmatched shooting prowess for the first time and the Nuggets accepting defeat despite being the heavy favorites to win the series. He recalled,
“That was the year that we actually had a franchise record in winning games. We won like 57 games and as much as I wanted to win that series, man, it felt like, you know what, we ain’t got no chance because the way that ball was going through… When Steph and Klay was shooting that ball…That ball was not hitting the rim, almost like, you know you play a video game and the net starts getting on fire.”
View this post on Instagram
In that series, Curry averaged 24.3 points, 9.3 assists, and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 46.8% from the field and 44.2% from beyond the arc, while Thompson put up 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. The sixth-seeded Warriors advanced to the Conference semifinals with a 4-2 series win, where they lost by the same scoreline against the Spurs.
However, Curry and Thompson’s exceptional shooting became the foundation on which the Warriors’ dynasty was erected. It also changed the game forever.
Miller believes Curry has had a Michael Jordan-level impact on the NBA
The former Nuggets guard also heaped praise on Curry. He called him one of the greatest point guards in history and compared his impact on the league to three of its greatest players. Miller said,
“When you talk about a Stephen Curry man. I mean, Michael Jordan changed the game. Kobe, LeBron. He [Steph] might have changed the game more than anybody in the history of the game! Every time I go into a gym, everybody shooting three-pointers! In my eyes, he is an all-time great.”
The guard has changed the sport for good. Three-point shooting has become the most valuable skill set, especially for guards. Curry and the Warriors ushered in a new era of basketball and their offensive philosophy quickly became the norm across the globe.
