Steph Curry's Staples Center curse
It turns out there is a way of containing the greatest shooter ever. But only two teams in the entire NBA have what it takes to do so. And it's not about having a specific type of defender to put on him. It's about playing home games in a specific arena. Because no matter how great Steph Curry is, he's never as great when playing at Staples Center.
The cases of Curry's Staples curse
After going 4-for-15 from long range in a 119-107 win over the Kings last night, Curry has now reached 128 straight games with at least one three-pointer made, breaking a tie with Kyle Korver for the 2nd-longest streak of all-time -- Curry owns the longest streak as well with 157 games.
The last time Steph finished a game without making a three-pointer was on November 4, 2016. He followed it up with hitting an NBA record 13 threes against the Pelicans a few days later -- Klay Thompson later broke that record with 14 three-pointers made. As always, the venue made all the difference for Steph, who, before having his best shooting performance ever, put up his worst one. And you're right; the latter took place at Staples.
Even last Tuesday, in a season opener on the road against the Lakers, Curry had a terrible shooting night despite racking up a triple-double. He finished the game with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists, but only shot 5-for-21 from the floor.
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After the game, he was asked why he tends to struggle in Staples Center. "No idea," Curry said. "If you have any ideas, please let me know, because I still ain't figured it out."
And once again, his Staples curse doesn't just manifest when facing the Lakers. Here's how the Warriors superstar shot the ball against both LA teams when playing on the road.
Curry's career numbers at Staples
For his career, Curry's averaging 20.4 PPG on 41.6% from the field and 31.3% from three against the Lakers at Staples. In road games against the Clippers, the Warriors superstar is averaging 23.2 PPG on 46.9% from the field and 38.5% from deep. While these are already solid, Curry puts up much better numbers when playing the Clippers at home -- 25.5 PPG on 52% from the field and 53.8% from three.
Why the drop-off occurs, Steph himself is yet to figure out. But despite it being a small issue, the data is clear -- the best way to contain the greatest shooter ever is to put him up against either LA team on the road.
There's something about Steph Curry and hoops at Staples Center.
