What Seth Curry has been able to accomplish recently is precisely why the Dallas Mavericks were aggressive in signing the sharpshooting guard to a four-year free agency contract this summer.
Over the past four games, Curry is averaging 20.5 points in just 26 minutes off the bench. It’s the type of instant offense the Mavs need, particularly with starting point guard Luka Doncic expected to at least miss Friday’s game in Philadelphia and Sunday’s game in Toronto while he recuperates from a right ankle sprain.
In Wednesday’s 109-103 loss to the Boston Celtics, Curry scored 20 points in only 25 minutes and was 8-of-13 from the field and 4-of-8 from 3-point territory. That came on the heels of Monday’s stunning 120-116 victory in Milwaukee when Curry tickled the twine for 26 points.
Two games before that, Curry poured in a season-high 30 points when the Mavs posted a 122-111 triumph over the Detroit Pistons. In that game Curry was a blistering 11-of-15 from the field and 6-of-9 from beyond the arc.
“Seth is a killer,” proprietor Mark Cuban said prior to the game against Boston. “When we needed him the most he came in and gave us buckets.
“He had 30 in Mexico City and 26 the other night (in Milwaukee). He was a little bit out of sync for a little bit there, and now he’s right back in (sync) and he’s giving it to them any way they want to take it, and he’s rebounding too.”
This stretch of prolific play by Curry is one of the best four-game stretches of his six-year career. During this phenomenal span the 6-2, 185-pounder is 31-of-51 from the floor for a sizzling 60.8 percent, and 14-of-27 from 3-point range for a smoking 51.9 percent.
“I just kept sticking to my routine, kept just trying to work to find shots,” Curry said. “I kept sticking to it, I kept my confidence and I finally found some good shots.”
After playing a grand total of only four games with Cleveland, Memphis and Phoenix in his first two NBA seasons, Curry’s career started to blossom when he averaged 6.8 points in 15.7 minutes while playing 44 games for the Sacramento Kings in 2015-16. His career really took flight in 2016-17 with the Mavs when he averaged a career-high 12.8 points and shot a career-high 48.1 percent from the field while playing 70 games and averaging 29 minutes.
However, after Curry missed the entire 2017-18 season because of a stress fracture in his lower left leg, he signed a one-year free agent contract with Portland and became a hot commodity for a Trail Blazers’ squad that made an unexpected run to the Western Conference finals. Then came free agency again and the Mavs jumped at the opportunity to re-sign Curry.
“We wanted somebody who could spread the court, who is a gamer and who knows how to play, and he has a high basketball IQ, too,” Cuban said. “And that speaks volumes about Seth.”
Although his glory days in the NBA have been with the Mavs, Curry noted that it wasn’t a given that he was going to return to Dallas.
“This was the first time I had a lot of options free agency-wise, and I was taking everything into account,” Curry said. “And this was the best fit overall from on the court to off the court.”
Curry averaged 7.9 points in just 18.9 minutes in 74 games last season with the Blazers. He also was a huge factor for Portland in the playoffs.
“I got experience in big games, big time moments,” Curry said of his time with the Blazers. “Just getting back on the court for 80-85 games last season was big for my overall growth as a player.”
Curry, though, did admit to missing his time with the Mavs.
“I missed being with a great organization, a great team,” said Curry, who is averaging 10.2 points in just 22 minutes this season. “The team continues to build with the young pieces we have.
“You could see Luka getting better (last year) as the season went along. And with KP (Kristaps Porzingis) getting back healthy, it should be a good step in the right direction for this franchise.”
And that “good step” included the Mavs getting Curry back in the fold.
“He’s really getting in a groove and he’s moving the ball,” Cuban said. “And he’s obviously shooting it from anywhere on the court.”
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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