Stephen Curry Is Either the New Generation's Ray Allen or Reggie Miller

If you haven't seen the highlight reel from Stephen Curry's video-game-like performance during the third quarter of the Golden State Warriors versus Denver Nuggets playoff game last night, stop what you're doing and watch it right now.

In a span of six minutes, Steph scored 22 points, including hitting off-balanced floaters and five three-pointers. Any basketball fan will tell you that the Charlotte native and former Davidson College star is one of the best shooters in the NBA. He set a record a week and a half ago when he concluded the regular season with the most three pointers in a single season in NBA history--his 272 three pointers surpassed Ray Allen's record of 269.

Congrats #CLT native @stephencurry30 on @nba record. MT @warriors: Corner 3 by Curry brings it up to 272! INFOGRAPHIC twitter.com/warriors/statu…
— Jarvis Holliday (@HollidayInk) April 18, 2013

And speaking of Ray, he's the player Steph seems to be compared to the most these days. They're both among the greatest shooters of all-time and arguably the best shooters of their respective generations--Steph is in his fourth NBA season, while Ray is in his 17th (sort of like how Kobe Bryant was beginning to rise as a young star in the league when Michael Jordan was on the tail end of his career). I got to see Steph and Ray play early on in each of their careers. I grew up in the same area in South Carolina as Ray, so when I was in middle school I attended many of his basketball games during his senior year when he led our Hillcrest Wildcats to the state championship.

It's natural to compare Steph and Ray because fans today have gotten to see them play in the league at the same time for a few years. But I think Steph's game is more like retired Indiana Pacers legend Reggie Miller, in that he will take over a game and take shots that most players wouldn't have the nerve--or skill--to attempt. The main difference between Steph and Reggie, the latter whom played several seasons against the former's dad, Dell Curry, is that Steph will bury threes all over your head while wearing a smile on his face (he has that nice guy persona), and Reggie used to shoot up your arena and taunt you (he seemed to love for you to hate him on the court).

But whether you're comparing Steph to Ray or Reggie, that's great company for the 25 year-old to be in.

The fans who watched Steph warm up before last night's game got an indication of the type of night he was going to have, when he hit a H.O.R.S.E.-like shot from behind the players bench. So the deep three pointers he hit during the game were a cinch.

Credit: @CorkGaines

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Bobcats’ NBA Lottery Pick: Two Is Not a Winner and Three Nobody Remembers; or Remember that Kevin Durant Was Picked Second

I was at Icehouse in South End last evening attending a tweetup event when the NBA Draft Lottery special came on ESPN. Around 8:15 p.m., I made my way downstairs and planted myself square in front of a TV. Like many of you Charlotte Bobcats fans and Charlotteans, I had my fingers crossed that the home team would win the first pick. A female friend walked by and asked what all the frenzy was about. I said: "Imagine that the Bobcats have the opportunity to do what the Carolina Panthers were able to do last year by drafting Cam Newton number one." Her face lit up.

But sadly, it was not meant to be. As I'm sure you know by now, the New Orleans Hornets (Charlotte's former team) won the first pick in the draft and the Bobcats secured the second pick. So the Hornets will undoubtedly select the player just about everyone from serious sports analysts and critics to casual observers believes will be number one, 19-year-old Anthony Davis, a 6-10 forward from the University of Kentucky. He's the one player most believe a team can build a winning franchise around.

Fortunately I was at the bar ordering a much-needed drink during this moment of anguish, when Bobcats GM Rich Cho congratulated Hornets head coach Monty Williams.

With the second pick, there isn't a whole lot of excitement in the players the Bobcats have to choose from. The NBA drafts just aren't as strong as they used to be. There was a time when teams were almost guaranteed to draft a future all-star if they landed a top-five or sometimes even top-10 pick or beyond (in the 1996 draft, for example, Ray Allen was the fifth pick, Kobe Bryant was the 13th pick by the Charlotte Hornets but traded to the L.A. Lakers, and Steve Nash was the 15th pick). Many believe the Bobcats will select Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, an 18-year-old, 6-7 forward who was a teammate of Davis's on the national championship-winning Wildcats.

So with the unlucky bounce of a lottery ball, the Bobcats, who finished 7-59 this past season, accumulating the worst winning percentage in NBA history, have missed out on the chance to draft a future superstar for the first time in their eight-year history. "Two is not a winner and three nobody remembers," as Nelly famously rapped on "Number One" (Nelly, coincidentally, was a part of the original ownership group of the Bobcats, but that reportedly ended when Michael Jordan bought majority control in 2010).

Or, you can look at it more optimistically for the Bobcats. One doesn't have to go back too far to recall the 2007 NBA Draft, when the Portland Trail Blazers selected Greg Oden with the first pick. With the second pick, the Seattle SuperSonics, which later left Seattle and became the Oklahoma City Thunder, drafted Kevin Durant. Oden is a great young man, whom many rooted for, but he's been plagued with injuries in his five NBA seasons, only playing 82 games during that whole time, which is the amount of games in a single NBA season. Meanwhile, Durant has become one of the best players in the league, the NBA scoring champion the last three seasons, and currently leading his team in the Western Conference Finals.

I certainly don't wish that Davis becomes the next Oden. Not at all. But it would be great if Kidd-Gilchrist, or whoever the Bobcats pick, becomes the next Durant. They need it desperately. And the Bobcats do, after all, have as their general manager for the past year, Rich Cho, who was the assistant general manager for the Sonics/Thunder for many years, helping orchestrate the deals, trades, and picks that are credited with putting together a Thunder team full of young, talented players who are poised to be dominant for most of this decade.

The second pick is the highest the Bobcats have ever received in the draft. In 2006, they won the third pick, shortly after Jordan had become the top executive under then-team-owner Bob Johnson. Jordan and his braintrust picked Adam Morrison, considered one of the worst draft moves in recent memory, and a decision that still haunts them until this day. Last year, I wrote an article for Charlotte magazine, where I interviewed ESPN analyst Jay Bilas and we broke down the history of the Bobcats' first-round draft picks.

This became the cover photo on the Bobcats' Facebook page last night.

The team wants to put the dark days behind them. And Rod Higgins, Bobcats president of basketball operations, wasted no time by emailing this letter to fans last night, about 30 minutes after the NBA Draft Lottery had concluded. See below.

May 30, 2012

Dear Jarvis,

As you may have heard by now, NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver announced tonight at the NBA Draft Lottery that the Bobcats will have the No. 2 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. We are extremely excited about having the opportunity to add a quality player to our growing young nucleus.

I'd also like to say thank you to our General Manager Rich Cho and Vice Chairman Curtis Polk, who were our team's representatives in New York tonight.

Our basketball operations staff has already begun preparing for what we consider to be one of the most important offseasons in our team's history, and tonight's announcement makes this summer all the more significant. Our scouting staff has been hard at work to identify the best possible players for us to add to our team, not only through the draft but also through other avenues such as free agency and trades, as we proceed with molding this franchise into one that our fans can be proud of and that can compete at the top levels of the NBA.

We know that many people will be watching as we work toward the NBA Draft on June 28. We hope you will enjoy this exciting time with us.

On behalf of the entire Bobcats organization, thank you for your continued loyalty and support.

Sincerely,

Rod Higgins
President of Basketball Operations
Charlotte Bobcats

And finally, the Bobcats have announced an unbelievable ticket offer where if you buy 2012-13 season tickets at regular price, you'll receive the 2013-14 season for free. Has this ever been offered by an NBA franchise?

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My First Time: StrikeCity

Last night my homeboy Lenny and I attended the grand opening of StrikeCity at EpiCentre. I'm not going to spend too much time describing StrikeCity here but to let you know that it's a bowling alley on steroids and you should check it out.

StrikeCity has more TVs than you can count--I can assure you've never seen more projection screens and plasmas in one place. That makes me think it will become just as popular as a sports bar as it will a bowling alley. The place was packed when we got there a little after 8 p.m. We managed to snag a seat at one of the bars, which was perfect for us to watch the Boston Celtics-Detroit Pistons game (Celtics guard Ray Allen is from our high school). I ordered a drink and the chicken Parmesan sandwich with fries, and my food arrived in five minutes. I knew that StrikeCity had a partnership with Libretto's Pizza next door but I didn't expect my food to get there so quickly and so hot.

So we're sitting at the bar along the front counter, and the side counter of the L-shaped bar extends into one of the bowling alley's private rooms. We could see directly into the room's lounge area, but we couldn't see the private lanes that were around the corner. While chomping on my sandwich in between glancing up at the game, who do I see standing five feet away from me as he walks up to the bar? None other than Dale Earnhardt Jr. himself.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the bar. I didn't bring my digital camera, so all I could muster were these camera phone pics.

I've met Dale Jr. a couple of times before at NASCAR races and media events, but this is the first time I've ever seen him out in a social setting. He was classic Jr.--collared shirt with the sleeves rolled up and blue jeans (couldn't tell you if they were Wrangler's, though). It was him and his crew, including several attractive women, hanging in the private room. I saw a couple of his homeys motion for hot chicks to come around from our side on over to their side. Hey, that's one of the primary roles of members of an entourage. Man Law.

And I must say, not only was the food excellent, but so was the service. Our bartenders were Jack and Jill, two hotties in their own right (short for Jackie and Jillian, if I remember correctly). I asked Jill to recommend a drink and she told me I should have the Mighty Mouse. I'd never heard of it but she made it of 151 Absolut, Amaretto, 99 Bananas, orange juice, pineapple juice, and Sprite. I now think I have a new favorite drink.

Jill, left, and Jack are bartenders at StrikeCity.

This was my second night in a row hanging at EpiCentre. Lenny was in town for a couple of days and when I have friends visiting I usually end up going out more than I would ordinarily. Plus, this happened to be a week when I had tickets/invites to a couple of events. Thursday night we went to the Swatches & Scotches event at Suite. It was to introduce the launching of Astor & Black Custom Clothiers in Charlotte. That was the swatches reference; the scotches was the free samples of scotch. We stayed there for a couple of hours then went to Mez for dinner, the trendy restaurant that's connected to Epicentre Theaters. Mez was crowded, too, as was PJ's Coffee & Lounge, which we only popped into for a minute before heading home.

It's going to be interesting to see how the EpiCentre continues to transform nightlife in uptown Charlotte. I think StrikeCity was the last major opening for the massive entertainment complex. If you haven't been to EpiCentre yet, you have to see it for yourself. It's like an outlet mall of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, with a few shops and the Aloft Hotel sprinkled in between.

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I Just Voted...

For the NBA All-Star team that is. As it has been for several years now, we, the fans, pick the starters and the coaches select the reserves. I've always liked that process because it let's the fans have their say, which often means the most popular players get picked, while the coaches ensure that the most deserving players make the team, too. Regardless, though, I'm pretty sure no one from the Charlotte Bobcats will be making the All-Star team for the fifth year in a row.

But at least four of the Bobcats made the ballot: Emeka Okafor, center; Raja Bell and Raymond Felton, guards; and Gerald Wallace, forward. If your favorite player isn't on the ballot, you have to vote for him by write-in. Below are my picks for the Eastern and Western conferences.

I'm a supporter of the Bobcats, but I'm sorry--I didn't think any of them were All-Star caliber. The only hint of bias I displayed was in my selection of Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics. He usually makes the team as a reserve. He's not a flashy player, but the coaches recognize that he's one of the best pure shooters to ever play. I picked him because we went to the same high school, Hillcrest High in Dalzell, S.C. (He's older than me, but I was in the same grade as one of his sisters, who now lives in Charlotte, coincidentally.)

Click here if you'd like to exercise your democracy. Voting ends Monday.

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The NBA Is Back—With Carolina Pride

I'm not going to take this opportunity to talk about the Charlotte Bobcats. Logically it is what I would do since this blog focuses on life in and around Charlotte. But the Bobcats haven't played a game in more than a month, so they're not relevant to this discussion. (One quick sidebar, though: I heard from a friend earlier today that she and some friends were waiting in line last night trying to get into Suite at Epicentre, uptown's newest club, and that the line was so long and exclusive that a couple of the Bobcats had to wait to get in. Come on now, they might not be winners but let's show our pro athletes more respect than that. Okay, back to the topic.)

The NBA is back. I've been saying that all season, and not that anyone necessarily disagreed with me, but I felt like this was shaping up to be the best season since the late 90s, when the NBA was at its peak. And this season hasn't disappointed, clearly with the two most storied franchises, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers, now set to square off in the NBA Finals.

But let's understand why this is, in case someone from the Bobcats happens to read this. To be successful and compete in the NBA today a team must have three great players. It used to be that two would suffice, but now it's three. Look at Boston, L.A., San Antonio, Detroit, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, and Denver, to name a few. There are a couple of exceptions like Cleveland—but they have Lebron—and New Orleans—but they have a great point guard and solid lineup all the way around. Having three great players is why San Antonio has won four championships in nine years, and is why Boston went from having the worst record in the Eastern Conference last year to having the best record and winning the conference this year.

Two of the Big Three—Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett—are from S.C., my home state.

The three at Boston—Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen—were labeled the Big Three since the beginning of the season and they have lived up to their name. I'm not a Boston fan, but I'm rooting for them and am especially proud of them because two of the Big Three are from my home state of South Carolina. Garnett is from Mauldin and Allen is from Sumter. (Quick sidebar: I remember reading an article in The State (S.C.) newspaper several years ago in which the writer talked about what if Garnett, Allen, and Jermaine O'Neal, who is also from S.C., had all gone to my alma mater, the University of South Carolina. Based on their ages, they could've all played there together for two years. Ahh, what could've been. Instead, Allen went to the University of Connecticut and Garnett and O'Neal went straight to the NBA from high school.)

In fact, Allen went to my high school, Hillcrest High in Dalzell, S.C.—well, I should say I went to his high school because he's older than I am. (He was my sister's prom date—I wonder if there's anything I can find and put on eBay.) There were some great times seeing him play on the high school level. Everyone then knew he would become the player that he is today. He's had a great 11-year career. As one of the greatest pure shooters to ever play, he has a 21-point career scoring average and by the time he retires he will likely be the NBA's all-time three-point leader (he's currently second behind Reggie Miller). With Allen coming to Boston during the offseason last year, he finally has been able to play in a large market so that the world can see his skills (playing in small markets like Milwaukee and Seattle, where he spent his first 10 years, doesn't get you much television coverage outside of your region). Also, all three of Allen's sisters live in Charlotte. So there's a lot of Carolina pride in these finals.

The NBA is back because over the past couple of years teams have made the trades and spent the money to build up their rosters. There are more great players in the league than ever, but there has long been a great, talented bunch of players. The difference now is front-office execs are doing a better job. And one other very important factor to the NBA's resurgence: the implementation three years ago of the rule that requires a player coming out of high school to play at least one year of college before being eligible for the NBA Draft, which is what put a stop to the unnecessarily high number of players being drafted straight out of high school. Most of them weren't ready so they were only taking up valuable roster spots from veterans. Now if the NBA will just increase that one year college requirement to two years then we'll continue to see the league improve, not to mention great improvements in the college game.

I'll be watching the NBA Finals with my South Carolina gear on.

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