Daily MVP Film Breakdown: Steph Drops 42 and Game Winner
Steph Curry tops the short list of MVP candidates this year, and bolstered his case with 42 points and a game winning shot over the Clippers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KxDzh3Um3w
Los Angeles shot a remarkable 18/23 from deep, but they had no answer for Curry. He shot 55% from the floor, 40% from three, and 92% at the stripe, topping the gold standard 50/40/90 efficiency of his unanimous MVP season and has flirted with every year since. This year, it’s 49/47/94.
Steph started the game not by drilling shots from outside, but by getting to the basket. It’s something he does at a very high level, both with the ball and without it.
This is such a creative dribble, extends his arm and basically throws it ahead of himself between two defenders, keeping it low so the seven footer can’t get to it. Reminds me of Tony Parker. pic.twitter.com/AjwK394Ado
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
Fakes backdoor, fakes to the corner, cuts backdoor.
Poor Tobi Harris had no chance. pic.twitter.com/BUs1TAkVa9— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
Curry has set a high bar for his outside shooting, so 6/15 from deep seems like an off night for him even though it’s well above league average for both volume and accuracy. His balance, quick release, and ability to create openings for himself are all unmatched in the history of basketball.
Steph “only” shot 40% from three last night, but you better not give him extra chances. pic.twitter.com/HT2XcDVKzR
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
As soon as Steph’s man gets screened off, the help defender needs to get up on him. Can’t give him this much space. pic.twitter.com/Q8mM7gM1G4
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
Steph’s defender goes over the screen so he crosses to the other side of it.
Gives him all the space he needs. pic.twitter.com/yIqh791AlK— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
Of course, Curry’s legendary ability to shoot from anywhere opens up a ton of opportunities for him to take advantage when the defense overcommits and get easier buckets closer to the basket.
This is about as well as Danilo Gallinari can defend Steph after a switch.
Don’t matter. pic.twitter.com/brR0jJu3bW— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
Everyone in the building thought Steph was gonna shoot this 3. Gortat’s left foot comes all the way forward, Curry attacks it and finishes despite some strong help defense. pic.twitter.com/ka5TsJ7oIP
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
The defense needs to be absolutely perfect when guarding Steph at the arc. He can let it fly if he has even an inch of space, and if he gets a few feet you can forget about it. He shoots more accurately from the corner than most big men do at the rim, and that’s not hyperbole.
They try to ice this, but Steph waits for the screen to come a little higher.
Once he gets free and gets Gortat moving toward the basket, it’s over. pic.twitter.com/XtCY0vD7ol— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
Steph is shooting an obscene 59% from the left corner this year. pic.twitter.com/CqUC0wlGQN
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
Steph Curry three pointers are incredibly common, and anyone blocking them is extremely rare. He came into this game with zero blocked treys on the year, a credit to his timing and lightning-quick release. Rookie Shai Gilgeous-Alexander got him in this game, joining a fraternity even more exclusive than the Blocked a LeBron Dunk Club.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joins an elite club, blocking Steph on a 3 for the first time this season.
Only 14 of Curry’s 2,386 3PA since the start of the 15-16 season have been blocked, that’s .04%. pic.twitter.com/Gx1vDM7iny
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
Still, Steph got his revenge on the rook and used his defensive aggression against him later in the game.
Gilgeous-Alexander gambles for the steal, and Steph makes him pay with a quick move and floater off the glass. pic.twitter.com/GUei1CA0ET
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
It would not be the last time that Steph capitalized on some over-eager defending. Close and late in the fourth quarter, Curry lost Avery Bradley on a screen and sprinted to the arc. Nobody can stop on a dime and rise straight up for a perfectly-balanced three ball like him, and Bradley made the mistake of hi-fiving him in the air.
Avery Bradley is one of the best perimeter defenders in the game. He knows this is coming, fights so hard to stay in the play, fouls Steph and the shot goes. Unreal. pic.twitter.com/wg8B2L5Y6I
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
The game stayed close, and Bradley made a fairly spectacular play on the offensive end to tie the game at 127 with 20 seconds left.
Shout out to Avery Bradley risking life and limb to dunk all over Klay for the tie. pic.twitter.com/Y1bEe9LawC
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
However, this is Steph Curry’s building, and this was Steph Curry’s night. He dribbled the air out of the ball 35 feet away from the basket, and Draymond Green came up to set a quick screen to get Montrezl Harrell switched onto Steph. Curry got past the big man with a behind-the-back crossover, took him all the way to the rim, protected the ball with his body, and laid it up and in for the win.
Steph’s game-winner was glorious.pic.twitter.com/yKaYS9fOpJ
— Tom Petrini (@RealTomPetrini) December 24, 2018
Just another incredible performance from one of the best players in the game.
