Is Curry good or bad for the PBA?

NO QUESTION about it, the incomparable Stephen Curry is the best thing that ever happened to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA. The magical streak shooter was clearly at his best again in his last two games.

Curry awed with a 51-point masterpiece last Thursday. On Sunday, Curry delivered only 26 points against Oklahoma, but was no less superb and compelling.

Reports the Associated Press: “With a Super Bowl-sized stage, a celebrity-filled crowd and two championship contenders on the floor, it felt more like May in Oracle Arena than February. Stephen Curry was up to the task.”

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Curry scored 26 points and keyed a strong closing stretch that sent the Warriors to their 41st straight regular-season home win (116-108) over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“That was very playoff-like for sure … it was good to get that feeling and execute,” Curry explained.

What a thrill indeed, and the feeling was clearly mutual as far as Curry and his fans were concerned. They felt equally great.

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Yes, all great games, all great performances should be rewarding and memorable.

This has to be stated here, all for the simple fact that Curry was yesterday again the top topic in the Mandaluyong wet market sports hub; the way he was last Thursday, the morning after San Miguel Beer beat Alaska in Game 7 of the PBA Philippine Cup at Mall of Asia Arena.

In a way, local fans felt truly elated at Curry’s brilliance, but they hardly bothered about San Miguel’s conquest of the PBA Philippine Cup.

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Everything that perks up interest in the game should be good for the PBA?

Maybe yes, maybe no.

The Curry heroics, for example, can be counted as a boon to the PBA.

At the same time though, Curry could be helping expose the continuing lack of thrill and classy pageantry on PBA hardcourt which, once upon a time, was venue for the finest basketball suspense theater this side of the globe.

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There could be more than a couple of reasons behind the decline, but the most glaring should be the lack of intensity, not to mention integrity, on the part of many Filipino pros.

“Pera-pera na lang ‘yan (It’s all about the money),” cried Dong G., tall and dusky former member of the Jose Rizal U Heavy Bombers in the NCAA. He also decried the evident lack of professionalism on the part of many PBA pros.

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“Games in the UAAP were more thrilling and colorful,” said the philanthropic Dr. Jim Sanchez from one of his off-shore charity clinics.

Something has got to be done in order to save the PBA from sinking into mediocrity.

There’s a unanimous cry for a drastic upgrade in the conduct and quality of games.