Not everybody saw Stephen Curry coming. Scouts used to say that he relied too much on his outside shot and lacked athleticism. Curry's first few years in the NBA had also been relatively quiet, mostly because of persisting ankle injuries.

Fast forward to today and Curry has led the Golden State Warriors to three straight Finals appearances and has won two regular season MVP awards.

He is mostly known for his precision from the 3-point line and his quick release. But we shouldn't see Curry as merely an offensive powerhouse. We should appreciate how his mere presence affects the game.

Look at the stats from the official NBA website — Curry is leading the leading in raw plus-minus. Even prominent NBA news sources are taking notice. Take a look at this tweet by John Schuhmann:

What makes this even more impressive is the fact that Curry has missed 15 games and that this would be the fourth time he has achieved such a feat in the last five seasons.

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The plus-minus may not be the most reliable way to gauge a player's effectiveness on the court, but you have to admit that it is a rating worth looking into.

So, why does Curry have such a high plus-minus rating?

There can be a lot of reasons. First, he is a perennial threat from the 3-point line. This spreads the floor, weakens enemy defenses, and opens up opportunities for Curry's teammates. Second, he is averaging 6.5 assists per game. He is getting his teammates involved and trying to get them into rhythm.

If the Warriors are to have another championship run, they should consider Curry's plus-minus rating and how they can maximize it to overcome their opponents.