It didn’t take long for Seth Curry to explain how he and Luka Dončić had such a good chemistry in Curry’s one season with the superstar point guard – and why nothing should change this season.
“I mean, I can make shots and Luka can still pass,” Curry said Friday. “It’s pretty simple.”
If only everything in life were that easy to explain.
Curry has returned to the Mavericks for his third incarnation, having been here in 2016-17 and again in 2019-20. He joins Luka, with whom he shot a career-best 45.2 percent from three-point land in 64 games during the COVID 19-marred season.
He also joins Kyrie Irving, a Curry teammate at Duke and again in Brooklyn two seasons back.
“I’m excited. He’s an incredible shooter,” Irving said of Curry. “He’s an incredible leader to have in the locker room as well. He has experience. And he brings some diversity to that point guard role we have on this team.
“It’s going to be interesting to see him out there with Luka. And myself and Luka at times. But also running that second unit and filling in for our shooters. He sets the tone. I’m looking forward to continue to work with him.”
Curry signed with the Mavericks as a free agent and the lure of infinite open three-pointers for a member of the best shooting family in NBA history was too good to pass up.
Curry’s brother Steph, of course, has four championship rings and is the NBA king in terms of three-pointers made in his career.
His father, Dell Curry, was the measuring stick for shooters when he was in the league from 1986 to 2002 – with the possible exception of Reggie Miller.
Seth Curry said he doesn’t remember the first time he beat his dad in a shooting game, be it a HORSE game or some other contest that involved making shot after shot.
But he does remember one day growing up in particular.
“I never really got to beat my dad in a one-on-one game,” Curry said. “As soon as Steph beat him, and I was a little younger, he stopped playing both of us. I wanted my chance and never got it. He wasn’t taking any more L’s. He would only play us in HORSE.”
Which was pretty legendary in itself.
“We played a lot of shooting games in the back yard,” Curry said. “It’s gotten less and less as we’ve gotten older. But it was very competitive. If you missed one shot, you might as well walk to the next spot. (Nobody else) was going to miss.
“Very competitive and obviously a very big factor in both of us being where we are today. He was the originator of what we do.”
So who won most of those games?
“I’ve won a lot of them,” he said. “He’s won a lot of them.”
While Curry is a shooter at heart and in the gene pool, he is not a one-trick pony. Going into his 10th NBA season, he’s learned a few things about how to survive even on those rare nights when his shot isn’t falling.
“I think it’s great that Seth has been able to play with both Kai and Luka,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We would love to have that shooting percentage that he had with Luka.
“And the one thing that is underrated about Seth is that he can also run the offense and we can put him out there to get us into different situations, but also have him on the floor because he’s a very capable shooter. So it just creates space and to have that kind of weapon on the floor who can not just shoot it but also be able to get us into the offense – I think he’s going to play a lot for us.”
Curry knows that a few things have changed since he was here last. The coach, for one. But also the new practice facility and even a new look inside American Airlines Center.
But some things haven’t changed.
“It’s a little different around here, but I still feel comfortable,” he said. “I’m excited to be here.”
And as for playing with Luka and Irving?
“You got to put two on the ball to stop them from scoring,” Curry said. “And both of those guys are really unselfish. So it’s one of the reasons you want to come over here as a shooter. You’ll get opportunities to knock down open shots. It’s about doing your job and being ready when the stars find you.”
And Curry doesn’t take a back seat to anybody regarding the three-point shot. At 43.5 percent, he’s No. 6 among the best career three-point shooters by percentage, ahead of such people as Steve Nash and, perhaps surprisingly, his brother.
“I think it’s up there with anybody,” Curry said of his shot. “As far as accuracy and doing what I’m doing, I feel like I’m at the top of the list. But I’m still making my mark trying to get better and better. What we do is about consistency and doing it for a long time. I’m still writing my story and trying to keep it going.”
Curry said he knew the Mavericks would be an option in free agency, but as a player, you’re never sure until the offer becomes real. But now that he’s here, he’s thrilled about the possibilities.
“A lot of potential, a lot of talent – top to bottom, a lot of guys that can play,” he said. “It’s about putting it together. Offensively, we should have one of the best rosters in the league. It’s about getting timely stops on defense.
“In the Western Conference you can’t waste any time. Every team feels like they got a chance to make the playoffs.”
If Curry manufactures another magical season with Luka, the Mavericks fully expect to be one of the teams that does.
Twitter: @ESefko
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