Stephen Curry Entering Rare Air With Elite Guard Play At Age 37
NBA history tells you that small guards aren’t supposed to be effective as they advance into their mid and late thirties. Golden State Warriors megastar Stephen Curry clearly doesn’t care about that.
The 37-year-old Curry reminded everyone on Thursday night that he’s still among the world’s elite players, exploding for 42 points in a win over the Denver Nuggets. The pinnacle of Curry’s masterclass came with less than 25 seconds left in regulation, when Steph tied the game with an astonishing three-point make from just in front of the halfcourt logo.
Curry and Golden State ended up prevailing in OT, despite 50 points from Denver’s do-it-all forward, Aaron Gordon.
After the game, which brought the Warriors to 2-0 on the season, Curry’s longtime teammate, Draymond Green, praised the greatest shooter ever.
“The bigger the moment, the more he rises,” Green said of Curry, per ESPN’s Anthony Slater. “He’s this quiet guy … but he loves the show. Anytime there’s a show to be put on, he’s going to do it.”
Nuggets head coach David Adelman also offered some perspective on Curry’s epic shot.
“The shot he made to tie it toward the end (of regulation), it’s a shot that only he can make,” Adelman said, per Slater.
Moments like Thursday night serve as reminder’s that Curry is one of the rarest players the NBA has ever seen, and his enduring greatness at age 37 is another quality that sets him apart.
While there are players who have continued to succeed past their 40th birthday (LeBron James being the most impressive example of that), it’s harder for guards to achieve longevity to that extent, as their game often relies on quickness, which wanes with age.
Curry has stayed in peak condition, and since he’s never possessed elite athleticism to begin with, his game has continued to threaten defenses to an uncomfortable degree for 17 seasons running.
Even when Curry’s quickness does suffer a noticeable drop-off, he still promises to be an otherworldly threat as an off-ball shooter.
That phase still looks a year or two away for Curry. For now, the Warriors are still blessed to boast one of the best three or four guards ever to play the game, and in top form to boot.