Spot on. You can't really dig into the improvement of Curry and weigh it against Reke unless you are pretty familiar with the Smart/Curry dynamic. I live in the Bay Area and saw it up close, watch many GS games and see/hear the Bay Area media, and the media was all over Smart for not playing Steph more(actually makes me despise the Kings Sac area coverage, as down here the media questioned it constantly, here it goes unnoticed). It was the same damn thing we saw under Smart with Reke, Smart's theory everyone must play, including Acie Law, and making sure Acie Law of all people gets minutes and a rhythm at Steph's expense was somehow a blueprint for success.
It was the same exact s*** we see here with Smart. And, it didn't work. Steph has since been freed up, given the ball, pumped full of confidence by Mark Jackson, and really took a step forward.
It's really not as simple as Steph is a far better player because of the numbers he's putting up now and where GS is. Take Mark Jackson away, keep Smart around, keep playing backups at Steph's expense and take the ball out of his hands, and is he the same player? No, he's not, at least results wise which seems to be what some are strictly looking at, but the talent is still the same. Just because you're handcuffed by your coach and misused does not mean your talent has suffered.
There's a much bigger difference in the use of Curry under Jackson than there is a difference in Steph's talent level. Steph wasn't that much of a worse player under Smart talent wise, Jackson takes that talent and puts it in a better position to succeed. He's unleashed Steph. Reke isn't somehow less talented than he was when he put up 20/5/5, or less of a player, actually, he's improved and is a better all around player than he's ever been, it's more the use of him is terrible, jsut as it was for Steph under Smart. If a different coach puts the ball in Reke's hands next year and plays to his strengths, it doesn't all the sudden mean Reke is a different or more talented player, just being used more effectively and played to his strengths.