Why isn’t Warriors’ Curry aiming for the NBA scoring crown in 2023-24?

The Warriors’ 108-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday was a nail-biter. Steph Curry discussed his mental process on a game-deciding possession with the media.
Steph Curry has averaged 30.0 points per game for the Warriors during the first nine games of the 2023-2024 NBA season, which ranks fourth entering Friday’s action.

While Curry’s scoring prowess puts him in early contention for a third NBA scoring title, Golden State’s superstar guard has greater goals in mind.

“That materializes throughout the season,” Curry said to reporters following the Warriors’ 108-105 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night. “It isn’t a goal.” It’s not something I’m preoccupied with. You play the game and take the shots you believe you should take and make. Shooting at a high tempo and efficiency and all that.”

Curry understands that the Warriors’ overall success will lead to personal honors such as a scoring title.

However, the nine-time NBA All-Star admitted he will keep an eye on the competition as the season progresses, presuming he remains among the league leaders.

“I was just playing basketball when I won it the previous two years,” Curry stated to reporters. “That was the outcome. If you’re in the hunt, you start looking at it more near the end of the year. But that is not a goal.”

Curry won his first scoring title in 2015-2016, averaging 30.1 points per game. He was also the only player in league history to win the MVP award while shooting 50 percent from the field, 40 percent on 3-point tries, and 90 percent from the charity line.

Curry won the scoring title for the second time in 2020-2021, averaging 32.0 points per game, albeit Golden State’s season ended in the Play-In Tournament.

Curry now ranks fifth in the NBA in points per game, trailing only Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell, and Luka Doni.

While Curry chooses not to focus on scoring titles, followers of the future Hall of Famer will follow the race as the year progresses.