Bob Pettit Beats Stephen Curry in NBA Finals Stat

Regardless of the outcome of the 2022 NBA Finals, Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry has already cemented his legacy. The 6'2" point guard out of Davidson College is widely credited for revolutionizing the sport with his outside shooting. Since Curry hit his stride in the NBA, the league has gotten smaller, and 3-point shooting is now a prerequisite for almost every player.

The 34-year-old has won countless accolades over his 13-year career and is on the cusp of his fourth NBA Championship. One of the few flimsy arguments used against Curry is the amount of help he has received from his stellar supporting cast of teammates over the year.

Steph Curry has had three 30-point performances in the first four games of the NBA Finals. pic.twitter.com/yMaFoLJCyq
— Todd Whitehead (@CrumpledJumper) June 12, 2022

As you can see in the tweet above, Curry and Kobe Bryant are tied for the eighth-most 30-point performances in NBA Finals games. Of the six players above Curry and Bryant are all-time players that played for historic teams. But one name you probably didn't expect to see on the list was Bob Pettit of the Milwaukee and St. Louis Hawks.

Pettit is an 11-time All-Star and responsible for the Hawks only NBA Championship (1958). Like so many teams of that era, the Hawks struggled against the dynastic Boston Celtics. The Hawks were 1-3 against Bill Russell and the Celtics in the NBA Finals.

The first MVP.

2x scoring champion, 2x NBA MVP, 11-time NBA All-Star and #NBA75 Anniversary Team member… Bob Pettit!

Watch more Pettit moments in 75 STORIES: BOB PETTIT here: https://t.co/8Fa1XZMEUy pic.twitter.com/MMlzlRDKFu
— NBA (@NBA) December 22, 2021

Now at 89 years old, it's great to see Pettit still receiving his flowers. Pettit's number 9 jersey hangs in the rafters at State Farm Arena, making him just one of five players in franchise history to have his jersey number retired. Additionally, 'The Bombardier from Baton Rouge' has his number 50 retired by the LSU Tigers.

Pettit is one of a very select few players who have been named to every NBA anniversary team (25th, 35th, 50th, 75th). He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 which surprisingly didn't happen until 40 years after his professional career ended.

The NBA Finals are always intriguing, but Hawks fans and basketball historians will closely watch Curry over the next few games to see if he ties or surpasses Pettit's place in the history books. Stay locked into AllHawks.com for breaking news, highlights, and analysis.

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