Stephen Curry’s legendary shooting prowess was on display in Team USA’s semifinal and final win at the Paris Olympics. The superstar guard shot 17-of-26 beyond the arc and scored 60 points over the two games to lead the nation to its fifth-straight gold medal win. His spectacular display perfectly encapsulated his impact on the sport, which Doc Rivers believes isn’t spoken about enough.
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During an appearance on KG Certified earlier this year, the Bucks head paid homage to the Warriors superstar and claimed he doesn’t get the credit he deserves for changing basketball forever. In the clip that surfaced after his heroics in Paris, Rivers said,
“Steph is as much of a game changer as anybody in our lifetime… We don’t give him enough credit. Think about it, he’s won the most titles of that group. And watching him now, and [watching] Durant now, the three oldest players are dominating.”
He used the AAU circuit as an example of Curry’s impact on the younger generation. He noted that young players rarely dunk the ball and instead prefer shooting three-pointers from as far away from the basket as they possibly can.
The veteran coach claimed every youngster wants to emulate the four-time NBA champion. He believes Curry should be lauded much more than he is now because he has single-handedly changed the game.
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Paul Pierce concurred with Rivers and had an interesting perspective about the guard’s influence. He claimed that Curry being as dominant as he is despite being only 6-foot-2 gives hope to youngsters as they can duplicate his game.
He said they believe they won’t need to be 6-foot-9 and have a massive physique to play at the highest level. Rivers responded that even though Curry’s playstyle is seemingly easy to replicate, the guard “works like a machine” to perfect his craft.
The guard’s shooting ability became the blueprint that the Warriors built their offensive philosophy around. They added Klay Thompson to their ranks and together the duo wreaked havoc on the NBA without needing to get close to the basket.
The Warriors’ three-pointer-focused offense helped them win four championships in eight years. Every team in the NBA tried to replicate it, but none could perfect it like they did.
Curry’s dominance as a shooter and the success that the Warriors achieved off it changed basketball forever. Being a good three-point shooter has become a prerequisite for every player. It’s a skill that everyone is expected to excel at, regardless of position or age.
The shift wouldn’t have happened had the guard not made it look as easy as he does. As Rivers explained, he’s inarguably the most influential player of his generation.
