Stephen Curry, learning a new position, is on point with Golden State Warriors

"I'm a natural point guard," Utah's Deron Williams said. "I think I was born to play point guard. But some guys can make the adjustment. Since he's gotten to the NBA, I think Steph's done a great job. He balances his scoring and gets his assists. He can pass. He just has a great knack for the game."

"He's got a ways to go," said Warriors assistant coach Jerry Sichting, who played both guard positions during his 10-year NBA career. "It's like two steps forward and one step back a lot of times, but that's not out of the ordinary. It's the hardest position. But he's got all the skills to do it.

"The talk around the league, when I talk to other coaches and other scouts, is everybody loves him. It just takes a lot of time, a lot of experience to be out there. We're talking about a guy who hasn't played the position before. It's new to him."

Despite his inexperience at the position, some NBA experts rave about his potential.

"I wanted him when I was general manager in Phoenix, and we almost had him," TNT analyst Steve Kerr said. "We came very close to getting him. With the kind of talent he has, we looked at him as having the potential to be like a Steve Nash."

Several NBA experts said Curry has the vision, passing ability -- Warriors fans have seen several of his improbable passes -- and ballhandling skills needed to play point guard. He also has the basketball IQ.

But, most important, he has a shooting stroke to die for. Curry's shooting ability gives him an advantage over most point guards.

"What's the one knock on most point guards coming out of college?" one Western Conference scout said. "They can't shoot. How many times have you heard someone say about a point guard, 'If only he could shoot'? Well Curry can shoot the lights out and he can do the other stuff."

Curry isn't nearly as physically daunting as Williams or Chicago's Derrick Rose. Most important, he often doesn't match up well in the athleticism department. That is revealed mostly on the defensive end, which is why some think Curry at point guard won't work.

"That position is too important on the defensive end," one Eastern Conference scout said. "A point guard can break down an entire defense. If you can't hold your own on that end, it creates all kinds of problems. I just don't see how he'll be able to defend as a starter."

Curry leads all regular guards in fouls per game (3.2). And Warriors coach Keith Smart has been known to put Curry's backcourt mate, Monta Ellis, on dominant point guards to keep Curry from a bad matchup.

Smart said Curry has gotten much better at defending the pick-and-roll, and he's better than expected at defending the post. But what he lacks in athleticism he will have to make up in intelligence, craftiness and experience. That leaves the Warriors optimistic.

Curry, regarded as one of the Warriors' hardest workers, is visibly stronger. Sichting said Curry watches a lot of film and soaks up coaching like a biscuit does gravy.

"He's never going to wow you with his athleticism," Kerr said. "He won't be a defensive stopper, but he could be a good team defense player. But when you have a player with that kind of talent, you are definitely willing to be patient and accommodate some of his shortcomings. He has the chance to be a special player in this league."

"I don't know how tough it is because I've been a point guard all my life," New Orleans' Chris Paul said. "I've never played any other position. But I know if anybody can do it, Curry can."