"F**king outrageous" - NBA analyst absolutely destroys narrative of Steph Curry being better than LeBron James

NBA: Los Angeles Lakers at Golden State Warriors - Source: Imagn
NBA analyst absolutely destroys narrative of Steph Curry being better than LeBron James (Image Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images)

LA Lakers superstar forward LeBron James is commonly recognized as the greatest player of his generation and as a top-two player in NBA history. However, a faction of modern fans contends that Golden State Warriors superstar point guard Steph Curry has surpassed James. According to The Volume's Jason Timpf, that is a baseless narrative.

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Before his three-point letdown performance during Sunday's 106-96 home loss to the Houston Rockets, Curry was on a heater. The sharpshooter averaged an eye-popping 41.7 points per game during a three-game stretch from Tuesday to Friday.

This sparked discussions about Curry's all-time ranking over the weekend. Several Warriors fans made the case for the two-time MVP being the best player of his era and having a better career than James.

On Monday's episode of "Hoops Tonight with Jason Timpf," Timpf attempted to dismantle their arguments. He prefaced by saying that he understands why Curry supporters are backing their favorite player. Afterward, he briefly outlined why James' career and accolades are more impressive.

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"Let's set aside the obvious stuff, like that LeBron had a Hall of Fame career before Steph even entered his prime and that LeBron is still every bit as good as him," Timpf said (timestamp: 0:39).
"Or that LeBron has four times as many Finals MVPs or twice as many MVPs. Or that LeBron is one of only two players in NBA history with four MVPs and four Finals MVPs."
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The analyst then zeroed in on the players' four-year NBA Finals rivalry from 2015 to 2018, in which Curry won three of their four matchups. Per Timpf, injuries to James' then-Cleveland Cavaliers hindered his chances in the 2015 finals, but he responded by outperforming Curry the following year.

"Just the narrative that Warriors fans are trying to build is absurd," Timpf said.
"Steph won his first title against LeBron in a series where both of his co-stars were injured. Then LeBron beat him in spectacular fashion in 2016, two 40-point games in Game 5 and Game 6 to extend the series. In that 2016 series, LeBron badly outplayed Steph on both ends of the floor."
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Continuing, Timpf claimed that Curry's 2017 and 2018 championships were essentially foregone conclusions due to Golden State's talent advantage.

"Then Kevin Durant joined the team, and the Warriors were so insanely talented that they had negative odds on sportsbooks to win the title," Timpf said. " ... The way that whole four-year saga is now being retroactively rebilled as a one-on-one rivalry between LeBron and Steph is f**king outrageous."
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Thus, it appears Timpf's rebuttal primarily boils down to Curry arguably benefiting from revisionist history.

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Also Read: "That man got superpowers" - Jaylen Brown takes sneaky dig at LeBron James while praising Lakers star's longevity


Jason Timpf says defense separates prime LeBron James from prime Steph Curry

During his takedown of Steph Curry fans' historical assertions, Jason Timpf added that, at his peak, LeBron James was a far better defender than Curry. The pundit likened prime James to a combination of Curry and the Warriors megastar's defensive-minded co-star Draymond Green.

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"When LeBron was at his best, he was the best parts of Steph and Draymond put together," Timpf said. "He was one of the most prolific offensive engines in the history of the sport and one of the best defensive players to ever play the game."

With individual defense, team injuries and co-stars' production factored into the debate, Curry fans may face difficulty arguing against James. Nevertheless, Curry is widely viewed as the greatest 3-point shooter ever and is steadily climbing many analysts' all-time player rankings.

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Also Read: "He's the Black Captain America" - Ex-Lakers guard likens LeBron James to Barack Obama while unpacking superstar's rift with Stephen A. Smith

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Edited by Tristan Rawcliffe
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