Stephen Curry's 2008 NCAA Tournament run was something we had never seen before. Which begs the question: Are we seeing it again?
Curry's player efficiency rating this season is 32.35. If that holds, Curry would set the NBA PER record, edging Wilt Chamberlain's 31.82 PER in 1962-63.
But how does this compare to Curry's four-game Elite Eight run in the 2008 NCAA Tournament with No. 10 Davidson? That March, Curry burst onto the scene with superhuman performances against No. 7 Gonzaga, No. 2 Georgetown, No. 3 Wisconsin and No. 1 Kansas (Midwest Regional seeding).
Let's compare the two versions of Stephen Curry:
2008 (NCAA Tournament) PPG: 32.0
2015-16 (Season, as of March 14): 30.5
2008 Three-Pointers: 23-52 (44.2 percent)
2015-16: 318-692 (46.0 percent)
2008 Field Goals: 42-90 (46.7 percent)
2015-16: 638-1249 (51.1 percent)
2008 APG: 3.5
2015-16: 6.5
2008 RPG: 3.25
2015-16: 5.3
2008 SPG: 3.25
2015-16: 2.1
2008 TO: 1.25
2015-16: 3.3
Breaking down those seven categories important to Curry, the Stephen of March 2008 wins in points, steals and turnovers. This season's Stephen takes the other four.
Who's better? It's impossible to make a direct comparison. Curry was playing a totally different game in 2008. His Davidson teammates had no NBA talent and played powerhouse programs in all four games. Curry, then a sophomore, was asked to carry a much different load than he needs to carry with the Warriors. Check out these stats (the three games Curry did not play this season are not included):
2008 percentage of Davidson field goals attempted by Stephen Curry: 90 of 224 (40.2 percent)
2015-16: 1249 of 5418 (23.1 percent)
2008 percentage of Davidson's points by Stephen Curry: 128/286 (44.8 percent)
2015-16: 1891 of 7191 (26.3 percent)
As expected, Curry was asked to chuck it a lot more back in college. That could account for his lower shooting percentage back then.
And Curry actually played more minutes during that NCAA Tournament -- with a 40-minute clock -- than he does this season with a 48-minute clock.
2008 Minutes Per Game: 38.0
2015-16: 33.9
Both Curry's 2008 NCAA Tournament and the 2015-16 season are outstanding basketball endeavors, potentially two of the greatest all-time campaigns in either circumstance. As for which is better, the statistics are too close to call. The 2015-16 numbers may appear better on paper, but they don't account for the lower level of play in college and Davidson's underdog roster (Curry is now playing with two current All-Stars, a former All-Star and a former first overall pick).
One argument for the current Curry is the consistency and longevity he is showing. The season is 65-games deep, and Curry is keeping par with his four-game NCAA Tournament. Curry's 2008 tournament was impressive, but those stats were above the rest of his college career (which was mostly against the Southern Conference). Could he have kept it up?
The two Currys can also be compared by the eye test. You be the judge:
By the way, happy birthday, Stephen Curry.
-- Follow Jeffrey Eisenband on Twitter @JeffEisenband.
