The NBA GOAT Debate: Stephen Curry Vs Magic Johnson

The late-summer NBA conversation has once again shifted to one of the fanbase’s favourite narratives: the GOAT discussion- Curry Vs Johnson!  This is because there haven’t been any significant deals to evaluate or on-court activity to analyze.

But this time, it’s not LeBron James vs. Michael Jordan (although if Jordan is somehow connected, as is typical with anything NBA). It comes down to Stephen Curry vs. Magic Johnson as the best point guard of all time in this discussion.

The NBA GOAT Debate: Stephen Curry vs. Magic Johnson

Curry was a guest on “Gil’s Arena,” the podcast hosted by former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, earlier this week. Gilbert asked Curry: “Are you the best point guard ever?” and that was when everything began.

“Yes,” Curry said. “Yes. It’s me and Magic, that’s the conversation?”

“Magic’s résumé  is ridiculous,” Curry added, “so the fact that we’re even having that conversation is a place I never thought I’d be in.”

Tuesday on ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith backed up Curry’s opinion.

Stephen A. Smith shared a text message he allegedly got from Michael Jordan on the Steph Curry vs. Magic Johnson controversy on an episode of ESPN’s First Take.

“Magic Johnson is easily the best point guard of all time,” Stephen A. Smith said Jordan wrote. “Steph Curry is very close, but not in front of Magic. You must define ‘point guard’ to really have a serious debate. Steph Curry is by far the best shooter of all-time… but Magic Johnson invented the triple-double. Not true invented, but makes it more noticeable in terms of the impact on the game. It’s a point guard stat, to be honest. Magic was the best… By the way, Magic has five NBA championships.”

Magic Johnson could have been the forerunner of the tall point guard, but he played more conventionally by putting less emphasis on scoring. That is reflected in his career averages of 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 11.2 assists. In the postseason, they marginally increase to 19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 12.3 assists. This demonstrates that Johnson was not his teams’ top option for scoring. He performed the duties of a point guard while also inventing new duties for the position.

Magic was a point guard who stood 6’9″ tall and had strong shoulders and a large physique. Johnson could outmuscle the majority of point guards in the post, score easily, and occasionally even defend bigger guys. Remember that in 1980’s NBA Finals Game 6, Magic started at center and won Finals MVP to win the series.

The majority of Magic’s baskets were from within the paint, indicating that he had a greater field goal percentage. On the other hand, Curry has more dribble movements that lead to open shots and is a far superior three-point shooter. When it comes to scoring, there is no comparison, and Curry has a significant lead.

With their motion offensive style providing shots for teammates instead of an individually outstanding conventional point guard, Stephen Curry was never expected to be the team’s key facilitator. He has always been a scoring machine, averaging 24.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.5 assists over his career with a marked increase in the playoffs, where he’s averaged 27.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists.

When he wasn’t making outside shots, Curry had a remarkable ability to outmuscle his defender and score at the rim. Curry, though, is undoubtedly the finest shooter in history and often scores from beyond the paint. It is actually remarkable how reliable the point guard has been at making free throws during his career.

For a superstar of his caliber, Stephen Curry is regarded as a player with below-average defensive ability. Steph makes up for it with exceptional scoring skills, but the point guard struggles on defense. He has always focused solely on offense with the Warriors throughout his career.

Curry was not a particularly good defender, but Magic Johnson was a greater enforcer. Magic had a career average of 1.9 SPG, 0.4 BPG, and twice led the NBA in steals. Johnson won the thefts championship with an average of 3.4 SPG in his second season and 2.7 SPG in his third season.

Stephen Curry has been able to put himself in a position to win four NBA titles and the 2022 Finals MVP award because of his exceptional leadership abilities while playing for the Golden State Warriors. Stephen Curry is without a doubt tremendously altruistic, and his capacity to lead must be demonstrated by his altruism in enlisting the help of other all-stars to join his team.

The 6’9″ point guard is the best teammate of all time because of how well he leads by passing and inspiring his teammates. He was regarded as the kind of athlete that played for championships and lifted up those around him. As the star in Los Angeles, Johnson won five NBA championships, and his leadership was largely responsible for this.

Anyone with eyes can see that Curry has a huge impact on the field because his unstoppable shooting ability changed the game. While other players may contribute more to the team than Steph, Curry’s shooting is unquestionably excellent, especially in the NBA of today. Because of the way teams concentrate on the offensive end of the court, Steph has helped transform the NBA and even some of the laws. Steph has one of the greatest impact superstar careers ever thanks to his ability to make shots from beyond the arc and knock them down, with a career 3-point percentage of 42.8%.

Over the course of his career, Johnson averaged 11.2 APG and had nine seasons with at least 10 APG. Because Johnson won three MVP awards during the regular season, in addition to five NBA championships and three Finals MVP awards during the postseason, his influence was evident. Johnson, a 6’9″ point guard who altered the game and was a lifelong member of the Los Angeles Lakers, set the standard for everyone else. In the 1980s, Magic was a pioneer of his type, and Steph was a pioneer in the 2010s. This category is balanced in that way.

The numbers to know

 

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