In 2009, he “didn’t have the upside of Ricky Rubio or Johnny Flynn”. For the next couple of years, he was “just a shooter”. In 2012, he was “injury prone”. In 2013, he was just “very good”. In 2014, he was an All-Star. In 2015, he became a Champion and […]
Read more "Improbable: The First Unanimous NBA MVP, Stephen Curry"It seems like the defining word of every NBA regular season award has a definition that’s a moving target. MVP? What is “value”? DPOY? What do we prioritize as “defensive” prowess? Most Improved Player might seem like the most straightforward one. We reward the player who did the best job of “getting better”. But […]
Read more "The Real Meaning of “Improved”: Looking at MIP Winners Since 2010"Originally written on April 1, 2016 Warning: What follows is an attempt to glean meaning from a small sample size, because these teams are too damn good this year to lose a human number of games. Proceed with that in mind. Losses aren’t all that common when we’re talking about the Spurs and […]
Read more "Rare Occasion: How the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs Lose"Originally written Mar. 31, 2016 It’s no secret that one of the most important components of a successful team is scoring from close range. Even in a league that finds itself increasingly enchanted with the long ball, strong big men, guards, and wings who know how to create shooting space inside 10 feet are absolutely […]
Read more "Close-Up: How the Warriors and Spurs Get Their Short-Range Points"
Double Drivel 