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Chris Paul Comments on Steph Curry's 1 Key Improvement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rolly Gacelo | Last updated Feb 23, 2026 11:30 PM ET

Numbers prove that Steph Curry is the greatest shooter of all time, but some critics once thought he was a one-dimensional player. He could shoot threes from long range, but he couldn’t defend. That is now a thing of the past, and his former rival Chris Paul believes he has worked on this part of his game.

Paul and Curry faced each other in many Western Conference battles—first when CP3 was still part of the Los Angeles Clippers, and later when he joined James Harden on the Houston Rockets. They became teammates in the 2023-2024 season when Paul moved to the Bay Area.

Curry came out on top in many of those matchups, winning three NBA titles in five Finals appearances from 2015 to 2019. His shooting was the biggest weapon during those championship runs, but the two-time MVP did not want to become a defensive liability, so he worked on that aspect of his game.

Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry defends against Houston Rockets' Chris Paul during 2018 playoff gameTroy Taormina-Imagn Images

Paul said he respects Curry for his dedication to becoming a better defender.

“When I was in Houston, Steph [Curry] wasn’t the greatest defender then,” Paul said during an appearance in Carmelo Anthony's "7PM in Brooklyn" podcast.

“But now, Steph, he D’s up. He plays really good defense. I got a lot of respect for Steph, Shai [Gilgeous-Alexander] and all these guys who at least try on the defensive end because that’s part of it and that’s what your teammates want to see.”

The “Point God” made the Curry comments while explaining his take on the Luka Dončić vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander debate. The host asked whom he would prefer between the two MVP candidates, and he picked his former Oklahoma City Thunder teammate because of his defense.

"I think that year that we played together, he also started to see that defense matters. You ain't got to be a lockdown defender or whatnot, but when you are playing defense, the teammates want to see the stars are actually trying," he said.

CP3, who recently announced his retirement after 21 years of pro career, is considered one of the best two-way point guards of his prime. He earned nine All-Defensive Team selections from 2009 to 2017.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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