Making the case for Steph Curry to shoot more 2's

The Golden State Warriors made quick work of the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs. That much was expected, with Golden State boasting far more talented players than their Western Conference counterparts. Credit to Damien Lillard and co., however, as they kept it competitive during some spells in the series, most notably during Game 1. Their effort was ultimately in vain as Golden State completed a four game sweep, and are now prepared for the Utah Jazz in the next round.

One player whose performance stuck out more than most was Steph Curry. The 2016 MVP suffered a decrease in much of his box score stats for the regular season, but that was always going to happen when you consider the year he had prior to this. It's also important to count for the inclusion of Kevin Durant to the Warriors' offense and the effect it had on those around him, including Curry. Adding one of the best scorers in the NBA is bound to limit other's opportunities.

There wasn't much panic when this occurred in the regular season, as the Golden State faithful were more focused on the postseason. That was the time they expected Curry to re-ignite his MVP-calibre play, and help the Warriors through. They weren't wrong, either. If the recent series against the Blazers is anything to go by, we should be seeing a more-of-himself Curry as the playoffs progress. So, how did he perform in the opening round?

Well first of all, in case you didn't know, Curry is very reliant on his three point shot. As are Golden State. And why wouldn't they be? He's historically one of the best shooters in the history of the league, and when it's all said and done, will be THE best. Add in his teammates offensive skills, and this system is built to Curry's strengths. During Game 1, he had 29 pts as the Warriors won a close one. Curry may have scored a decent amount, but he struggled from the 3 PT line, going 3 of 8. From inside the arc, he was efficient, making 5 from 11 shots. It may not be eye-popping numbers but it shows the rate at which he can get to the basket for layups or even pull up for long 2 pointers, when the shots from beyond the arc aren't falling. More attempts at the rim could see a better efficiency rate, not that it's a prime objective for Curry and it's crazy to think he can get an even better score of the 56.7% he currently has, but it is interesting to note. More on that later, though.

Back to the 3 point shots, which are Curry's biggest advantage on the offensive end, but can also be a problem, a weird thing to say. That's been the reality this season, however. He averaged a career-low 41%, a respectable number for most, yet when it comes to Curry, expectations are increased. Perhaps rightly so, considering we know what he's capable of. Being brutally honest about it, his shooting from downtown wasn't good in the first half of this series. In Games 2 he hit just 4 of 12, and in Game 3 it was 5-14. Things improved in Game 4, though, where he shot 7-11 from beyond the arc. Curry's 3pt attack is automatic. Asking him or expecting him to not shoot them is ludicrous. Yet, there's no denying that his missed shots can be detrimental because of the wasted possessions they bring with them when it happens too often.

He's earned the right to be trusted to take these shots, no doubt, but what if Curry, when the three pointers weren't falling, went for a more conservative approach and settled for shots inside of the arc? Would he have had better numbers? The answer is, he probably would have.

His shooting in the paint was solid, even if he was blocked at least once in each of the first 3 games. But it's still a small sample size, and Curry doesn't seem intent on offering a larger one. He averaged just 8.3 2 point attempts for the regular season, the second lowest of his career. Yet, his 2 point % was the second highest of his career at 53.7. Despite his underrated finishing ability at the basket, Curry is more than content to leave those to his lengthier teammates.

It is a shame and a wasted opportunity for Curry and the Warriors. For the playoffs, he's connected on almost 49% of his 2PA, which is a better score than Russell Westbrook & DeMar DeRozan, players who are notorious for getting to the rim. In Game 1, all but 2 of his made shots came from the paint or just outside of it. In Game 2, he reverted back to his 3 point arsenal and took just a third of his 18 shots inside, while Game 3 saw a more balanced 9 of 20 shots in the arc. Game 4 seen a wide array of attempts from outside, which is understandable considering Curry had a hot hand from deep in that one. Still, the series shows that Curry can trust his basket-attacking abilities when Plan A isn't working.

In a series against the eighth-seeded Blazers, it's not a risk to chuck up as many 3 pointers as he did. They're a poor defensive side who are going to give up over 100 points if you're offense is at least average. The Golden State Warriors, of course, boast the best offense in the league so the comfort of that led to Curry being able to take as many 3 pointers as he did. He averaged 11.3 per game, a career-high in the playoffs. The only problem is when the later rounds come and the more difficult opponents arrive, will Golden State be able to live with that many missed shots? It remains to be seen but for now Curry has 29 PPG for the postseason, which would be a career-high should he keep that pace.

There's no reason he shouldn't. It's incredible that Curry's managed to reach such a number since his 3PT shooting, barring Game 4, was off and his FT numbers were down in some contests; he took just 5 of them in Game 2. What a good sign it is for Golden State, then, that their MVP is still able to achieve such an impressive scoring rate, when he's struggled at times. It can take players a while to settle into the playoff atmosphere, even if they've been to two consecutive finals, and Curry may have been guilty of that for the first couple of outings. His Game 3 and 4 performances were vintage Curry, though, as he poured in 34 points & 37 points, respectively. With Kevin Durant suffering from injury, and playing limited minutes, Curry led his team to two victories on the road and allowed his teammates to gain some rest ahead of their second-round match-up with the Jazz.