Stephen Curry: Doing More With…More?
Curry Making More of A Difference On the Floor
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Continuing on with the more with less argument, some people believe that Harden makes the most difference for his team than any other player in the NBA. Again — Houston has had to deal with injuries, and Harden has been the one consistent factor keeping them competitive.
But despite Harden “carrying” his team, why is it that the data suggests Curry makes more of a difference to his squad?
The traditional stats can’t paint an accurate depiction due to the flaw of Harden playing more minutes per game than Curry. We solve this by looking at their numbers per 100 possessions.
(Read More: “The MVP Debate: Why James Harden’s Perceived Edge Over Stephen Curry Isn’t Real”)
When Harden is on the floor, the Rockets score 107.4 points per 100 possessions (offensive rating), while giving up 101.3 points per 100 possessions (defensive rating). When Harden is off the floor, the Rockets have a mere offensive rating of 93.4, but they move up to a 97.5 defensive rating. That’s a net swing of +10.2.
Here’s where it gets interesting: when Curry is on the floor, the Warriors have an offensive rating of a whopping 113.6 and a lockdown defensive rating of 97.0. When he’s off, the offensive rating drops to 100.8, and the defensive rating rises 99.3.
Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Now the Warriors are DEEP. With a supporting cast led by the likes of Shaun Livingston, Andre Iguodala, David Lee and Marreese Speights, Golden State is able to keep a net rating of +1.5 when Curry is off the floor.
But when he’s on the floor, Curry brings with him a net rating of +16.6 — that’s a net swing of +15.1.
So when we talk in terms of which player makes the most difference for his team on both ends of the floor, Curry is the true alpha that leads the race between him and Harden.
But the MVP shouldn’t just be the one player making the most difference for his own team. Another way to determine the MVP is to see which team needs their superstar the most to succeed.
And spoiler alert: it’s not Harden.
Next: Warriors Crumble Without Curry