Golden State Warriors stars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson have helped lead the NBA’s most recent dynasty during the 2010s, and their elite shooting has been the primary reason for the Warriors’ dominance.
ESPN’s Kirk Goldsberry featured Curry and Thompson in a list Monday that highlighted the 10 best shooters of the 2010s. Curry was ranked No. 1 on the list, and Thompson came in at fourth.
Goldsberry’s list didn’t simply look at who shot the best from the three-point line. Rather, the list was an all-encompassing view of a player’s efficiency and how they were able to consistently score at a high rate from various spots on the floor.
No other backcourt in league history has stretched defenses more than Curry and Thompson. Both players are ranked in the top 15 for all-time three-point percentage, per Basketball Reference.
During the 2015-16 season, Curry became the league’s the first unanimous MVP. He had a historic season shooting the ball, having a 50/40/90 year while averaging 30.1 points per game.
Thompson has moved without the ball well throughout his career, and he’s scored a lot of buckets because of his ability to catch and shoot. Thompson has never shot below 40.0% from the three-point line in his eight-year NBA career.
The list was accompanied by an interesting graphic that displayed the NBA’s best scorers by zone. Curry unsurprisingly ruled the left and right wings, as he usually either comes off screens in those areas or is shooting off the dribble.
Leading Scorers By Zone, 2010's
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Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) September 16, 2019
With Curry and Thompson receiving recognition, it shows how much of an impact they’ve had on the league. As a new decade nears, it’ll be interesting to see how Curry and Thompson continue to give opposing defenses fits.
