Stephen Curry: Lionel Messi and I both have that 'creativity and flair,' says Warriors star

NBA MVP is fast becoming the league's top attraction

(Getty Images)

Reigning NBA MVP Stephen Curry led the Golden State Warriors to their first title in 40 years last season and has picked up exactly where he left off last season.

Better, if fact. The Warriors have equalled an NBA record 16 wins in a row to start the season and are being compared with some of the great teams in the history of the league. The 1972 Los Angeles Lakers’ 33-win streak is another goal being talked up, as is chasing down the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls 72 wins in the NBA’s best ever season.

Curry, 27, currently leads the league in points per game with 32.1, and is scoring at a never before seen level of efficiency; the point guard connects on more than 60 per cent of his two-point shots and 43 per cent of his three-pointers.

Nobody can keep up with the Warriors who are outscoring teams by an average of 15 points in every game - no other team gets above nine.

Curry is becoming the new face of the NBA and his beautiful style of play has earned that inevitable comparison of ‘the Lionel Messi of basketball’.

Or is Lionel Messi the ‘Stephen Curry of football’?

Barcelona star Lionel Messi

"I don't know - it's like a chicken or the egg kind of conversation,” Curry told international media. "We both have a creative style, where it's just about a feel when you're out on the pitch or the court. I try to do some fancy things out there with both hands, making crossover moves and kind of having a certain creativity and flair to my game.”

Curry also admitted that he’s a huge fan of the Barcelona superstar, who returned from injury just this week.

“That's definitely the style that Messi has when he's out there in his matches,” added Curry, who is on course to again break the record for most three-point shots made in a season. "I love watching him play. I'm a big fan. And to see just a guy that you never know what he's going to do at any particular moment -- when he's on TV, everybody is glued in because, as soon as he gets a touch with the ball, something special could happen. And you've got to appreciate that kind of talent.”

Curry’s Warriors can make history of their own with a win over the Phoenix Suns at 2.30am this morning, and Curry says it’s important for his team to set short-term goals to keep performing at such a high level.

"It's important to have tangible goals that you can look at it and really work for. Obviously, for us, we do a great job of just staying in the moment. Nobody really talked about the 15-0 record until probably last week when we were around 12 wins, 11, 12 wins, because you can't really get too far ahead of yourself. There's so much that can happen in this league over 82 games. The great teams are the ones that can focus on each individual game.

"So, we talk about 33. I think I've probably talked about it more than anybody else on the team, just because I know about the history and just really how hard it is. We've had like two 16-game winning streaks the last two years and those are pretty special feats. For us to have to double that output, I mean we're going to play hard and hopefully close in on that record, but it won't be a disappointing effort if we don't get there. Because there are so many talented teams in this league and for us to just be playing at a high level right now that's what we're worried about. And if we close in and get to 29, 30 games, we'll talk about it a little bit more."

Curry also says there is more pressure now he is becoming one of the league’s premier attractions.

"There is pressure; there is more of a spotlight," he says. "I think the biggest thing we've learned so far is that every game we play, no matter what team, what the team's record is, how they've been playing leading up to our game, we're going to get the team's best shot, because they want to dethrone the champs. Whether it's to come into Oracle and get a win, or protect their home court against the Warriors, it’s a big deal, so if we're not on our game, it'll show really quickly, because it's a big game every time we play. That's a good thing and a bad thing, obviously; it challenges us to be ready every single night. We can't coast through any game. We can't just show up and expect just because the Warriors are here, that we're going to get a win. We really have to do something about it.

"And then just every player individually has a higher spotlight, brighter spotlight, than they did last year, because we're the champs and people want to know what we're up to, they want to kind of stay attached as they can to our story. We've got to embrace that because it's a great spot to be in. Winning is fun, and whatever comes with that we can appreciate it."

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