In the NBA, the point guard is arguably the most important player on the floor, and in today’s era of small-ball, having an effective floor general is growing increasingly vital to the success of any franchise. There are quite a few superstars who man the one spot around the league, though it is certainly up for debate as to whom the top playmaker currently is. We have already looked at John Wall vs. Damian Lillard and Reggie Jackson vs. Eric Bledsoe in past Shootarounds.
Today’s matchup is: Chris Paul (Clippers) vs. Stephen Curry (Warriors). Which of the two point guards would you prefer to start for your team?
Both of these men are not only among the best the point guard position has to offer, but also rank in the upper echelon of players in the entire NBA. Curry is fresh off of an NBA title and a season that saw him earn league MVP honors. His career averages are 20.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 6.9 assists, to go along with a slash line of .471/.440/.900. Curry is also an excellent defender, and is an absolute assassin in the clutch. The only real knock on Curry as a player that I can levy is that his career turnover rate of 3.2 per contest is a touch high for a player with his skill level, but this is admittedly a minor quibble given his stellar production.
Paul’s career numbers are equally impressive, with the 30-year-old averaging 18.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 9.9 assists, and owning a shooting line of .474/.364/.861. Like Curry, the Clippers’ floor General is also an excellent defender, and while he may not be quite the threat from beyond the arc that his counterpart is, he certainly has shown himself to be the superior playmaker. But to be fair, Curry is asked to be more of a scorer in the Warriors’ system than Paul is in the Clippers’. The only real negative in Paul’s portfolio is his injury history, which has shortened four out of his 10 seasons in the league.
If you were the GM of a team and were given the choice between the two players, which one would you choose to lead your team? Why did you pick one over the other? Take to the comments section below to sound off with your thoughts and opinions. We look forward to what you have to say.
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I would take curry over paul because if his ability to hit crazy contested shots and perform well in a playoff atmosphere
Curry definitely has that clutch factor going for him. No argument there. Plus, he’s a player you have to start guarding as soon as he exits the locker room.
I have to go with Paul because he’s one of the best playmakers in the game he can score 20 plus while getting around 10 assists.
Steph Curry is obviously amazing, but I’m going to have to go with Chris Paul on this one. You can’t go wrong really, just personal preference