Stephen Curry’s numbers are significantly lower than they were in last year’s MVP campaign, but he laughs off the notion that he’s been in the midst of any type of slump this season.
Stephen Curry’s numbers are significantly lower than they were in last year’s MVP campaign, but he laughs off the notion that he’s been in the midst of any type of slump this season.
“Yeah, I heard the words ‘slump’ and ‘down year’ and all sorts of other ways to describe something that wasn’t really a problem for me,” Curry told ESPN. “I obviously hold myself to the highest standard. Still, at this point, I’m not at the numbers I was last year, but I’m not worried about that because it’s a different year. Every shot I take, I have confidence I’m going to make it, and over the course of the season, I expect that to show itself as we go along.”
Curry led the league in scoring last season by averaging 30.1 points per game, but this year that number’s dipped to 24.8, largely because he’s stepped aside while helping Kevin Durant find his way in Golden State. Curry’s also shooting 47 percent from the field (down from 50.4 percent a season ago), and is knocking down 40.1 percent of his looks from three-point distance, when that number was at 45.4 percent last season.
Just don’t dare to call what he’s going through any type of slump.
“That is the one that’s most comical, because if you look at the numbers at that point, in the politest way, I’ll take those slump numbers any day of the week,” Curry told ESPN. “But I know it’s a long year and a lot more games to play. I try not to get caught up in that nonsense. It’s a roller-coaster ride of a season. It is what it is.”
Curry’s comments ring especially true on Monday, considering he’s scored 30, 40 and 35 points in his last three games respectively, and was just named Player of the Week in the Western Conference for his performance over his team’s last four contests.