It’s hard to play like the Warriors when there’s only one Steph Curry.
Stephen Curry’s three-point shooting prowess has changed the NBA game forever. With shooting range that extends far beyond the norm, the “Chef” has altered the way teams strategize on both ends of the floor, ushering in a souped-up version of “pace-and-space” basketball, not only in the league but also at different levels of the game.
However, former All-Star Rasheed Wallace foresees this trend going away soon, predicting the league would soon return to a more traditional style of play. While Curry remains as dangerous as ever, Father Time is undefeated. And with no suitable successors to the throne, Sheed might just be on to something.
Positionless basketball
The Warriors aren’t the first team to employ “small ball.” While the “Seven Seconds or Less” Phoenix Suns, which were led by two-time MVP Steve Nash, helped bring positionless basketball to the forefront of the NBA in the early 2000s, it was Golden State that truly weaponized it as they often closed opponents out with a quintet that featured s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed players who can shoot the three-ball and switch on defense. This new style of play revolutionized the league as teams began to prioritize shooting and versatility over traditional size and positions.
But now, with big men like Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama all dominating the paint, it seems that positionless basketball may have reached its peak. As these stars continue to dominate in their respective roles, it’s becoming clear that the NBA may be ready to return to playing a more traditional style of ball.
“Everybody’s on the small ball now, but eventually, at some point, it’s going to get back to traditional, the same way it was when we played. It’s going to get back to that traditional spot because it’s going to have to because this is why: because coaches are going to have to get smarter. After all, now I got to get wins,” the former NBA champion said on “Sheed and Tyler.”
“Eventually that sh**, it’s going to get boring because it’s a lot of bullsh**. Everybody wants to be Steph, but can’t these fuc***s shoot like Steph,” Rasheed pointed out.
The outspoken and sweet-shooting big man has a point. With analytics taking over the game, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for teams to stick with a small-ball lineup. As a result, many coaches and teams are struggling to find success by mimicking the Golden State Warriors’ exciting style of play.
Stay in their lanes
Curry’s impact on the game has been nothing short of phenomenal. Gone are the days of big men setting up shop in the shaded lane, begging for the ball from point guards. Instead, we’re seeing an influx of guards and wings dominating the league with their shooting prowess. Additionally, every team now has big men who can stretch the floor with their perimeter shooting s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s.
However, Wallace pointed out that it’s one thing to shoot all these threes, and it’s another to actually make them at a consistent clip.
“I got fuc***s out here shooting this sh** who don’t need to be fuc***g shooting it, but they in the game. So now, if they guard a moth******r, alright, he’s giving up points, but you ain’t giving me sh*t. Eventually, like, they’re gonna get tired of it. Everybody gets tired of all these fuc***g threes, coming down past half-court, ain’t no passes, ain’t no defense, it’s not basketball, it’s fuc*ing ‘Double Dribble,’” Sheed quipped, referring to the popular video game of yesteryear.
“Man, what do we always do with Double Dribble and Live ’95? Turn the fatigue off, and we be bombing threes all fuc*ing day from the corner, the top corner, you know what I’m saying? All fuc*ing day. It was ahead of its time, yeah, it was, but you know what I’m saying?” the former Tar Heel added.
The 2004 champ with the Detroit Pistons has raised some valid points. While prolific perimeter scorers like Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, and Jalen Brunson are running the NBA Playoffs right now, there appears to be an uprising of legit big men in the pros. Jokic and Embiid are here to stay, as are Anthony Davis and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The future is bright for the league, and it’ll be interesting to see which era will come next.
