By The Numbers: The Long Ball Strikes Fear In The Heart Of An Opponent

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – There is nothing that will psychologically ravage an athlete more than the sudden strike of the long ball.

It will cut out his heart, weaken his knees and evaporate his confidence faster than a glass of water on a blistering summer day in Death Valley.

And the Bay Area has been home to three of the very best at striking sudden fear in an opponent whether it be on the diamond, gridiron or hardwoods.

On the football field, former San Francisco 49ers great Jerry Rice had even the most casual of fans uttering the acronym YAC or yards after the catch. The term was literally invented for him.

In baseball, there have been few players in the history of the sport as feared at the plate as former San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds.

His homerun potential was powerful enough to even force an opposing manager to walk him with bases loaded instead of allowing him a chance to launch one out of AT&T Park.

"You try to give your club the best opportunity to win a game," said then Arizona Diamondbacks manager Buck Showalter back in May 1998 of his decision. "It might not have been good, but it was better than the option we had.''

And now, there is Golden State Warriors sharpshooter and two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry.

His deadly accuracy from distance silenced the sold-out crowd at Portland's Moda Center during Game 4 of the NBA playoff showdown between the Warriors and the Trail Blazers. Among his NBA record 17-point overtime output were three consecutive 3-pointers including a 26-foot pull-up bomb.

A glance at the trio's stats further emphasizes the psychological terror their skills can inflict.

Rice was the holder of 36 NFL records by the time he ended his illustrious Hall of Fame career. He averaged nearly 15 yards a catch while amassing 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns.

But it was his skill in converting a short pass into a long gain that created another level of fear among defensive backs.

While he may be immersed in controversy, Bonds was among the most feared hitters during his Major League career. He finished his playing days with a record 762 homers, but it was his 2,558 walks that was a more telling stat.

Pitchers simply stay away from the strike zone when Bonds was at the plate.

Which brings us to Steph Curry, who became the first player in NBA history to top the 400-plus 3-pointers made mark during the 2015-2016 regular season.

In fact no other player in NBA history has scored more than 287 in a single season.

Curry owns four of the NBA's top seven single-season three-point totals and scored 10 threes in four games this season.

He also scored 20 or more points in 11 quarters during the year and has a record 152 regular season games in which he has scored at least one bucket from beyond the line.

Curry's shot chart for the regular season shows just how dangerous he is when he crosses mid-court.

So it's almost a guarantee the three still create an occasional nightmare or two for one of their past opponents when they slumber for the night.

In:
• Steph Curry
• Barry Bonds