Magic vs. Steph: How a Positional Definition Changes My All-Time Starting Five

Last week, Steph Curry ignited NBA Twitter and talk shows stating to be the best point guard ever. When asked by Gilbert Arenas whether he thinks he is the greatest point guard of all time, Curry responded, "Yes... it's me and Magic is that the conversation?". While Curry answered definitively to the podcast host's question, he rightfully acknowledged Magic Johnson. There is a historical understanding that a point guard's job is to facilitate and make his teammates better, primarily through passing. Magic Johnson not only made his teammates better by being a primary facilitator, but he did so with pizzaz. At 6'9", Johnson was an elite passer, who truly unlocked his powers when running the fast break. He could hit James Worthy or Michael Cooper streaking down the floor, or no look it down to an open dunker. All of these highlight passes rank Magic 7th all-time in career assists (less than LeBron James, who we will get to in a minute). So, if a point guard's duty is to serve his teammates' buckets, how can Steph (45th all-time in assists) be so confident he is the best PG ever? Or should we be questioning our understanding of what it means to be the facilitator of a team?

There is a long, historical record of point guards fulfilling the duty of lead assist man. Players like Magic Johnson, John Stockton, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, and others all excelled in this true point guard role. I say true because since James Naismith declared the positions of guards, forwards and centers, the smaller players have been responsible for dribbling and passing to counter their lack of height. The term point guard became the nomenclature for the guard who was primarily in charge of initiating the offense. Basically, since the 1950's, point guards have been the designated floor generals of their teams. Pass first, score second is commonly taught to young aspiring lead guards. With this understanding of the position in mind, it makes sense why people would be in fits over Steph Curry saying he is the best point guard. How could a guy who averages 6.5 assists over his career be a better point than Earvin "Magic" Johnson? The man averaged 11.2 assists for his career and recorded a career-high 13/game in '83-84! This is where definitions are important. Steph Curry is not a better true point guard than Magic Johnson. Steph Curry is a better playmaker than Magic Johnson. Let me explain.

First, the term playmaker signals passing and facilitating. You are making plays for your teammates, and that stat has traditionally been recorded in the box score as an assist. But what if playmaker actually meant more than just piling up assists? In this case, I am defining a playmaker as someone who has the ability to generate offense for his team. This can play out in many ways including scoring, assisting, gravity, and organization. These four are the primary factors I will be focusing on as I explain my definition of a playmaker. A playmaker is not limited, on offense, to one method of attack. They can be the primary ball handler, make shots, pass, and position their teammates in scoring opportunities. For Curry, his playmaking ability stems from his scoring, more specifically, his shooting. Steph's ability to shoot from anywhere and everywhere on the floor opens up the rest of his game. With the defense so stretched out, the lanes open up for him to exploit. The defense can't play too high in single coverage or else Curry is gone. So, trap him off a screen, but wait, now the Chef burns you with a slick pocket pass creating a 4-on-3, and now Draymond is lobbing Andrew Wiggins off a corner cut to cap off a 15-point run. Now, Curry can hurt you with a three (career 42.8% 3FG), a layup (2nd among guards in rim FG% in 2023) or put the offense in an advantageous position with his gravity.

The idea of gravity is hard to quantify. By definition (my paraphrased definition) gravity is the pull a player has, via his scoring threat, that attracts the defense toward him. Gravity is something that pass-first point guards may lack because they prioritize facilitating rather than scoring. While there is nothing wrong with passing being your first option, a player who has gravity can further torment the defense and open up more opportunities for his teammates. We can get an understanding of a playmaker's gravity by looking at synergy's shot quality for teammates. During the 2021-22 season, Luka Dončić led the league in expected points added per 100 teammate shots. This stat quantifies how many points were expected when taking into account the quality of the shot created for a player's teammates. In Luka's case, the quality of the shots he created for his teammates came to an expected value of 5.3 points per 100 shots. A stat like this goes beyond simple assist numbers and speaks to how much creation Luka does even when the shot does not go in. Playmakers have the ability to use their scoring and passing in conjunction with one another to elevate their teammates' play. Luka is a pick-and-roll maestro. He can make any pass out of this simple action, but more importantly, he has the ability to abuse a switch or get an angle to finish at the basket. This is far more valuable, in my opinion, than simply running a set that generates a layup. Playmakers take the notion of facilitating and flip it on its head. Instead of pass first, they leverage their scoring to open up more playmaking opportunities. Even when the possession does not end in a score, they place their teammates in the best position to do so.

Back to Steph Curry (who ranked in the top 7 for expected points added from 2015-2022). Curry's gravity is much different than players like Luka or James Harden. Steph's shooting warps defenses to him even when he does not have the ball. This "off-ball" gravity is what makes Curry one of the most unique playmakers ever. Take a simple pin down. As Curry sprints to receive a screen, the defense can: (1) fight through the screen, (2) switch or (3) sell out. If the defender does not get through the screen, well he just let the greatest shooter ever get a wide-open look. If the defense switches (shout out to the Rockets from 2017-2020) the screener can slip. If the defense sells out to Curry, the screener can roll right onto the basket. This frantic split-second decision is what has ranked Curry in the top 7 for expected points added for the last 6-7 years. His playmaking is not a byproduct of his passing or even his ball-handling. It stems from his ability to shoot (put the ball in the hoop). In fact, Curry without the ball might be the most dangerous version.

Curry's "off-ball" gravity generated about 4.4 expected points per 100 teammate shots in 2022 (7th). This new form of playmaking brings us back to the original question: What does it mean to be a facilitator or playmaker of a team?

The playmaker of a team is a person who has the ability to score and pass at a high level. Their scoring gravity pulls defenses toward them, opening up playmaking opportunities. Players like LeBron James, Luka Dončić and James Harden are all examples of this. Steph Curry is such a deadly scorer that it counterbalances his average passing abilities. This new definition of what it means to be a playmaker contradicts how the term has been defined in the past. Passing is not the first and only option of these players. Instead, their scoring is what makes them such exquisite facilitators, orchestrators, organizers and floor generals. With all of this being said, I wouldn't agree or disagree with Steph being the best point guard ever. It all depends on how you want to build your team and what you value at the lead playmaking position. For me, I prefer Steph over Magic because I value his scoring and gravity more than Johnson's top-tier passing. I would not say Curry is a better true point guard, but a better playmaker. Now, how does this change my all-time starting five? Well, it brings us back to the King.

My team would be split up into three categories: playmakers, shooters and versatile defenders. This team is also the idealized version of the pace and space era.

Playmaker: Stephen Curry

- off-ball gravity, best shooter ever

Shooter/Versatile Defender: Klay Thompson

- off-ball gravity, second-best shooter, versatile defender 1-3, elite catch-and-shoot

Playmaker: LeBron James

- best playmaker ever, elite transition threat, 1v1 nightmare

Shooter/Versatile Defender: Kevin Durant

- elite shooter/shot creator, multi-position defender, complementary skills on and off-ball

Versatile Defender: Kevin Garnett

- one of the best and most intelligent defenders ever, elite athlete, Swiss army knife on defense

Playmakers are the future of basketball. While players with specialized skills are still needed, the best of the best will be able to score and pass to elevate their teammates.