Stephen Curry can get buckets anytime he wants — in incredible spurts at that — so the question had to be asked, could the reigning NBA MVP eclipse Kobe Bryant’s 81-point outburst?
Here’s what Curry told Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:
Could Curry ever break Kobe Bryant’s career-high 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors nearly a decade ago?
“Not a chance,” Curry told Los Angeles News Group. “There’s a reason why people are still talking about that game to this day. It’s so special.”
Curry’s highest volume-shooting output was a 34-point performance against Brooklyn in which he shot 13-of-31 from the field in 44 minutes. Otherwise, Curry has averaged a team-leading 20 field-goal attempts.
“A lot of it has to do with our system and the way we play,” Curry said. “Kobe had a reason to get up as many shots as he did in the [Toronto] game. I don’t think anybody will get up 40-plus attempts no matter how hot they are.”
All of which left Curry intrigued on whether he could reach Bryant’s milestone if he ignored team dynamics and played as if an NBA game took place on the playground.
“You would like to think if I were to try or if I were to get hot after a quarter or two, I would have 50 in 2 ½ quarters,” Curry said. “Maybe you could finish it off. But that’s still pretty crazy to think to have 50. Those are career days for almost anybody.”
Curry is averaging an NBA-best 30.7 points per game — yet sits out many a fourth-quarter amid a Warriors blowout — coupled with the Warriors penchant for overly sharing the ball — and you can see why it’ll likely never happen.