“That is blasphemy” - Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo sounds off on Steph Curry claiming to be best PG ever along with Magic Johnson
Steph Curry recently sparked a fierce debate when he proclaimed that he is the greatest point guard of all time. The comments divided the NBA community, with many sticking up for Magic Johnson, who Curry admitted has an incredible resume. Despite that, Curry couldn't help but name himself as the 'GOAT' in his position.
While the two certainly have vastly different play-styles, they are both widely believed to be the greatest in the PG position. With other notable players like John Stockton and Chris Paul both without championship rings, Isiah Thomas remains the only other name in the mix.
During a recent episode of ESPN's First Take show, Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo refuted Steph Curry's claim that he's the greatest point guard of all time. While defending Magic Johnson's legacy, Russo stated:
"That's not even close. Magic Johnson is the only player who I've seen, There's only two or three of them, who could dominate a game at that position without putting the ball in the basket. Curry doesn't score, he's not a factor. Magic can go in there, take two shots, and dominate a game. His rebounding, his passing, his fastbreak ability."
He continued,
"He's 6'8, Magic Johnson. I love Curry, and we all know he's a wonderful shooter, but he is not Magic Johnson. Sorry. He's not in the same discussion. That is blasphemy to put him in Magic Johnson's category ... Magic Johnson, you could argue, is a top three player in the history of the National Basketball Association."
Looking at the stats and accomplishments of Magic Johnson vs. Steph Curry
Given Steph Curry's comments, and Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo's rebuttal, let's take a look at the head-to-head stats between Steph Curry and Magic Johnson.
Points per game - Steph Curry's 24.6 ppg average tops Magic Johnson's 19.5 ppg average, which is unsurprising given his high-scoring production and lights-out three-point shooting.
Rebounds per game - While Magic Johnson has the edge in the rebounding battle with 7.2, Curry's numbers are still impressive at 4.7 rpg.
Assists per game - As Chris 'Mad Dog' Russo pointed out, Magic Johnson's ability to impact the game with his passing stands out on its own. With 11.2 apg he nearly doubles the 6.5 apg average of Curry.
(Suggested Reading: Stephen A. Smith reacts to Curry vs. Johnson debate)
Steals per game - When looking at the spg averages of both men, they both have remarkably similar stats with Johnson averaging 1.9 spg and Curry averaging 1.6 spg.
Accolades - When it comes to the accolades of both men, Magic Johnson's numbers stand out. Despite the fact that Curry has the title of 'greatest shooter of all time' Johnson has more championships(five), first-team All-NBA honors(nine), and All-NBA honors(ten).
In addition, Johnson also has the edge in MVPs(three), Finals MVPs(three), and All-Star appearances(12). With all that in mind, who do you believe the best point guard of all time is? Vote below!