Sixers: Snubbing Seth Curry from the 3-point contest is a flippin’ travesty
Sixers shooting guard Seth Curry is inarguably one of the best 3 point shooters in the NBA.
His 44.33 career shooting percentage from beyond the arc ranks second in NBA history behind only his former coach Steve Kerr, and even after turning in some ugly shooting performances as of late, Curry is still ranked 13th in the league in beyond the arc accuracy with an incredible 44.6 shooting percentage on an average of 4.5 attempts per game.
Are those generational numbers? No. There are 81 players who attempt more 3 point shots a game than the younger Curry brother – including Steph with an astounding 11.5 shots from beyond the arc per game – and 113 who have attempted more shots from beyond the arc through the first 36ish games of the 2020-21 season, but that largely has to do with Seth’s current role on the team and his eight-game absence due to contracting COVID-19.
So, with Curry certainly among the best shooters in the NBA now and historically, how on earth did the league once again find it appropriate to exclude the Sixers’ premier sharpshooter from the All-Star 3-point shooting contest?
Seth Curry deserves more respect from outside of the Sixers’ circle.
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Seth Curry has knocked down at least 42.5 percent of his outside shots in each of his last five seasons.
He initially broke out as a sporadic contributor for the Sacramento Kings in 2015-16, then jumped back and forth from the Dallas Mavericks to the Portland Trail Blazers, and back to Mark Cuban’s club, and through it all, Curry remained aggressively playable for his ability to effortlessly drain deep balls with ease.
Though Curry didn’t truly break out until he returned to Dallas in 2019-20, the former Dukie actually received some league-wide recognition for his uncanny outside shot with a spot in the 2018-19 NBA All-Star 3-point contest alongside his brother and fellow contestants Joe Harris, Kemba Walker, Khris Middleton, Damian Lillard, Buddy Hield, Devin Booker, Dirk Nowitzki, and future teammate Danny Green.
While the contest didn’t go as Seth would have hoped, as only his brother advanced to the final round versus eventual overall winner Joe Harris, it was an encouraging sign to see the younger Curry brother get a little love for his consistent stroke, even if it came during a down season versus his time in Dallas.
Fast forward two years into the future, and Curry is now a full-time starter and in the middle of his best overall season as a pro. He’s fully defined his role, is playing under a head coach who appreciates his abilities, and has even developed a more balanced game featuring more shots from within the arc and a career-high assist average.
So, what gives? If Curry is a higher profile player in 2021 than in 2019 and has a better overall game on the best team in the East, why aren’t we gearing up for “Curry-Curry II: Live from the State Farm Arena”?
Two words: Star power.
With the 2020-21 NBA All-Star game limited to one night only in an effort to limit its participants’ potential exposure to COVID-19 – a questionable decision that some players aren’t too jazzed about, to say the least – the league is attempting to pull out all of the stops to get as many eyes on the promotional telecast as possible to help generate buzz. That means bypassing players like Davis Bertans, Joe Harris, Buddy Hield, and yes, Seth Curry, in favor of six players who are all either current or former All-Stars.
Does Jaylen Brown, Donovan Mitchell, or Jayson Tatum have any right being in a 3 point shooting contest? Well, considering none of those players knock down the shot at even a 40 percent clip, that answer should be a resounding no, but riddle me this, is anyone outside of the most hardcore Sixers fan going to make sure to tune in early to watch Curry compete alongside his brother? Probably not.
Next. If Doc Rivers really likes Tyrese Maxey, why doesn’t he play more?. dark
No, for better or worse, the players chosen for this year’s contest feels like it has more to do with player popularity than legitimate merit, and unfortunately, players like Seth Curry become the casualties of that decision, even if he unquestionably deserves a spot in the game. *sigh* oh well, much like the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, something tells me the 2020-21 Sixers are more concerned with how their season ends than any individual accolades they may rack up in the interim.