Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry will face his younger brother, Portland Trail Blazers guard Seth Curry, in the Western Conference Finals.
Chris Strachan, who has been friends with the family since 2007, recently told Marcus Thompson about the one time he has watched the two brothers face off one-on-one (via The Athletic):
“Steph was making everything. Seth even blocked a couple of shots and they went in because he blocked them. Seth famously says, ‘Steph is the luckiest dude in the whole world.’ Seth really feels like he’s better than Steph. He’s always felt that way.”
Seth, 28, is shooting 41.7 percent on three-pointers during the postseason for Portland. Stephen, 31, is actually shooting a touch worse a 37.1 percent from long distance since the playoffs began. However, Steph is making 3.6 threes per game while Seth is making just 1.3 per game. While the older of the two has been a significantly better overall scorer, comparing their three-point percentage has been fascinating.
The younger Curry brother actually had a better field goal percentage beyond the arc during the regular season, shooting 45.0 percent. That ranked as third-best among qualified players, one spot ahead of the two-time MVP who was 43.7 percent from three before the playoffs. But, again, Steph made 5.1 threes per game to Seth’s 1.5 threes per game.
Portland’s Curry ranks in the 95th percentile on catch-and-shoot possessions during the postseason, per Synergy Sports. Golden State’s Curry, however, is in the 65th percentile on these opportunities.
Seth ranked fifth-best (minimum: 80 possessions) when spotting up in regular season action. Meanwhile, Stephen was 17th-best among the 273 players who fit those same qualifications.
It is incredibly unlikely that Seth will outplay his brother in the Conference Finals, but the two are more similar than some fans might realize at first glance.