The Stephen Curry vs. Damian Lillard debate did not start heating up until last season. We already know what Curry is capable of and how he is destined to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. However, the whole NBA world was finally put on notice last year when Dame put on a show in the NBA Bubble and single-handedly willed the struggling Portland Trail Blazers to a playoff spot.
A postseason spot in the competitive Western Conference making this feat more impressive. With that being said, arguments soon sparked across social media and tv outlets on whether or not Lillard had taken the crown for the best point guard in the current NBA. With that being said, we will be taking a look at whether Lillard has surpassed Curry, or if the greatest shooter in NBA history still reigns supreme.
Battle of the Current Best Guards: Stephen Curry vs. Damian Lillard
Stephen Curry vs. Damian Lillard: The Case for Curry
Steph did not get a chance to prove his worth in this battle last season due to injury. With him and Klay Thompson, his superstar backcourt mate out, the Warriors were pretty much doomed from the start. This season, Curry is at least back and is putting the league on notice. He is reminding everyone why he is the only player in league history to win an MVP award by a unanimous vote.
So far, Curry is tallying numbers of 30.0 points, six assists, and 5.3 rebounds per game. Of course, he is working magic from beyond the arc with a three-point shooting percentage of 42.5 percent which comes as a surprise to no one. These numbers have helped Curry push his name into this season’s MVP race and keep in mind there is still a lot of the season left. Not to mention, he has done this without his best teammate, Klay Thompson, and has Golden State in the thick of the playoff picture making this all the more impressive.
Stephen Curry vs. Damian Lillard: The Case for Lillard
Like Curry, Dame has had a lot of success this season despite his star teammate missing action. CJ McCollum may not be out for the season like Thompson is, but he has missed the past few matchups. A shame since McCollum is also having an All-Star worthy campaign. Despite this, Lillard has not missed a beat. He has hit clutch shot after clutch shot and has the Trail Blazers in the top half of the Western Conference standings. On the season, Lillard is averaging 29.8 points, 7.7 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game to pair with a three-point shooting percentage of 38.4 percent. Like Curry, Lillard is also making a solid case to be at least considered an MVP candidate this season making the Stephen Curry vs. Damian Lillard debate get even hotter.
The Verdict
For the winner, we are going to go with the go-to Splash Brother. We hold nothing against Lillard at all, but until Dame can prove he can at least get his team to an NBA Finals, it is hard to bet against the two-time league MVP. The numbers and accomplishments speak for themselves. However, Lillard could very well flip this narrative in the coming years. As of now, Wardell is still the top point guard in the league. We will see how the rest of this season shakes out and if the Portland star can maybe change this conversation in the Stephen Curry vs. Damian Lillard conversation as the season progresses, then we may re-visit this topic.
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