Steph Curry doesn’t get enough credit.
When people think of Steph Curry, they immediately think of his three-point shooting. They don’t think of his ability to finish around the rim, his off-ball movement, or his defense at all. So much so, that the other aspects of Curry’s game have become underrated.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr addressed the media this week where he revealed how he thought Steph Curry was underrated – his defense.
“I liked our defense down the stretch,” Kerr said after defeating the Pistons. “We got a bunch of stops. We couldn’t get a rebound. But Steph’s on-ball defense was fantastic. I think he’s so underrated on that end. Everybody tries to go at him for good reason to try to tire him out.”
Most people are quick to point out that Steph Curry gets targeted on the defensive end, and that players specifically try to go at him. What people are quick to forget is that Curry has actually averaged 1.6 steals in his career, and used to average two a game some years. His ability to swipe while defending on the ball isn’t bad – Steve Kerr agrees.
“Steph is a really good defender,” Kerr said. “His on-ball defense down the stretch was one of the keys.”
Make no mistake, Steph Curry is undersized as a defender. What he loses in size, he makes up for in basketball IQ.