The Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder squared off on Sunday night in what could be an eventual Western Conference Finals matchup, but another battle within the battle proved to be just as exciting.
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry and Thunder All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander spearheaded both of their teams on the affair. Last season’s All-NBA First-Team honoree Gilgeous-Alexander and Third Team honoree Curry gave a glimpse of what this year’s battle for top honors at the position could look like.
Warriors: Steph Curry shows All-NBA worth amid down season vs. reigning First-Teamer
Curry dropped 36 points and seven assists on a very Curry-like 13-23 shooting from the field and 7-13 shooting from three-point range. Gilgeous-Alexander was by no means a slouch. Nevertheless, he was outplayed by the two-time league MVP, having put up 24 points on 6-17 connection from the field.
Both star floor generals have had trouble finding their footing thus far this season. Curry has only scored more than 25 points twice in seven games played. Meanwhile, his 26-year-old counterpart’s scoring average is down by four points from the 30.1 PPG he put up in 2023-24. All things considered, Curry’s commonplace performance, coupled with the win, gives him the upper leg over Gilgeous-Alexander in any way-too-early All-NBA debates as the season moves past its first 10-game stretch.
Curry and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will have more battles to settle PG debate
Down the road, the Davidson product won’t see Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder again until Jan. 29. Until then, the Warriors will need Curry to play more like he did against Oklahoma City on Sunday night than the way he’s looked in other contests this year. While Golden State has shown itself to be one of the best teams in the West so far, that doesn’t negate Klay Thompson’s absence or the Warriors’ need for their vanguard to play at a superstar level. None of his peripherals will slide for the long term should the Dubs be serious about contending.
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Curry will likely hang on to his status as being widely regarded as the best point guard in the NBA while Gilgeous-Alexander looks to return to the form that made him an MVP finalist in his coming out party last season. But when things are all said and done in 2024-25, they’ll have a host of other point guards to best for All-NBA honors. Placement on any of the three teams would be Curry’s 11th for his career and Gilgeous Alexander’s third.
