Steph Curry is ready to throw some gasoline on the old-school vs. new-school debate.
In a video feature this week for GQ Sports, the Golden State Warriors star responded to a few fan questions on the Internet. One question that Curry received was, “Fully healthy, do you believe the Warriors with KD [Kevin Durant] could have beat the ’96 Bulls in a seven-game Finals?”
“Absolutely,” Curry responded. “Obviously, we’ll never know, but you put us on paper with them … I like our chances. I’d say Dubs in 6 too.”
Curry was on that 2017 Warriors team in question, so it is not like he would say, “Yeah, Michael Jordan’s Bulls would have smoked us in four games.” But it is still a fun debate to have objectively speaking.
The 2017 Warriors would be a handful for any team to deal with, especially with their Death Lineup of Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Durant, and Draymond Green. But the 1996 Bulls would have had the size, shooting, and defense to counter, particularly by using a Ron Harper-Jordan-Scottie Pippen-Toni Kukoc-Dennis Rodman closing lineup.
The two teams would also be perfect foils for each other. The 2017 Warriors were one of the single most explosive offenses in league history, averaging 115.9 points a game while playing with breakneck speed and overwhelming opponents with three all-time great scorers. The 1996 Bulls were slower and more methodical, giving up just 92.9 points per game. They also thrived in the halfcourt on the heels of the triangle offense, using efficiency and extra possessions to wear down opponents over 48 minutes.
These days, Curry and Jordan definitely have a bit of a friendly rivalry. If the same question was posed to Jordan, he would probably be just as adamant that it would go the other way.
Photo: Nov 30, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
