On Wednesday morning, Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen went ESPN's The Jump to discuss the Golden State Warriors sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers. When asked what he was impressed with most in the series, Pippen pointed out Stephen Curry's excellent play. He then posed a question that the NBA has been asking for years:
“Steph has got the defense so extended, 35 feet away from the basket. That's unheard of. How do you defend that? That's really what impressed me.”
Most viewers would have to agree with Pippen that Curry was the most impressive player in the series. With Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins injured, Curry became the focal point of the Warriors offense and thrived. He averaged 36.5 points per game in the series and finished the Blazers off with a 37 point, 13 rebounds, 11 assist triple-double.
Pippen's question has yet to garner a great answer from NBA defenses. Never in NBA history have we seen a player that needs to be closely guarded when he is 35 feet away from the basket. Even without the ball, Curry generates so much defensive attention that he can bend the defense simply by running through picks or standing at the three-point line.
Whoever wins the Eastern Conference Finals will have to come up with an answer to Pippen's question. If Curry has another series like the one against Portland, the Warriors will likely hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy yet again.
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