Curry and his dream: to win a Finals MVP

The vast majority of NBA superstars and legends have at least one. Chamberlain, Abdul-Jabbar, Magic, Bird, Michael, Olajuwon, Duncan, Shaq, Kobe, LeBron, KD. In fact, nine of the top 10 players on ESPN’s most recent list of the greatest players in NBA history have one. And the one who doesn’t, Bill Russell, retired before the creation of the award that today BEARS his name.

The NBA Finals MVP award is not an award for the best basketball player in the world, nor does it even have to be a recognition of the best active player in the series. We have seen how on occasion those characteristics, along with the best performance in a particular Finals, go hand-in-hand to highlight the winner of the award. That’s why there was never any doubt who the MVP was every time MJ or LeBron won a championship.

Which brings us to Stephen Curry, the greatest shooter in the history of the sport, the leader of an on-court offensive revolution seen in every game for every team, the two-time NBA MVP, the three-time champion now poised to play in his sixth Finals in the past eight seasons. The NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers who has yet to have a Finals MVP award.

It feels only fitting that Curry won the first-ever ‘Magic Johnson’ Western Finals MVP award as the Warriors advanced to the Finals after eliminating the Dallas Mavericks. His numbers in the series (23.8 PPJ, 7.4 APJ, 6.6 RPJ, 42.4% three-pointers) don’t necessarily jump off the page, but his standout performance is perhaps more a reflection of his all-around play, leadership and presence on a Warriors that sometimes needs more of that than his points or three-pointers.

They also reflect an appreciation for Curry and his game that may not have existed in 2015 – especially compared to other stars – when Steph and the Dubs won the first of their three championships.

In those Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, there was no question who was the better player. James led everyone in points, assists and rebounds in a losing cause. But a losing player couldn’t be the MVP, could he? No. So, even though Curry was coming off winning the regular season MVP and had good numbers overall (26.0 PPJ, 5.2 RPJ, 6.3 APJ), it was backup Andre Iguodala with much more modest numbers who won the MVP, rewarding his impact off the bench in the killer lineup that brought the Warriors so much success.

A year later, Curry and the Dubs as a dynasty were in full effect. Steph was repeating as MVP, the Warriors were breaking the Chicago Bulls’ winning record, and with a 3-1 lead in the Finals, only one win remained to close out one of the greatest seasons in NBA history with Curry as the chef and driver. Instead, we know what happened; Steph’s consecration became LeBron’s consecration.

Golden State’s next two titles featured Kevin Durant on board, Curry ceding part of the spotlight – and part Finals MVP – in two glorious seasons for the franchise. The stretch would arguably enshrine KD more than Curry, just as the 2019 Finals would celebrate Kawhi Leonard, who took home his second career Finals MVP award.

So, after three championships and five Finals, heading into playing in his sixth, and with his legacy secured, is it important for Curry to win that Finals MVP award?

The answer is both obvious, and cause for debate. Curry is perhaps the most unique player in NBA history, which means there is no exact number of stats, awards or championships he needs to have his place in history.

However, a Finals MVP award, along with what would be a fifth championship, would likely alter the perception of many on that ladder, specifically in comparison to his peers of this era such as James and Durant. Would he win one or the other or both on the all-time list? And if he wins the championship, but is not Finals MVP, would his legacy be affected?

Curry would have to have a disastrous series for his legacy to be scarred, but there will be those who will subtract points from his career if A. loses the Finals (falling to 3-3 career), or B. wins a fourth championship and is not MVP (I can hear the phrase ‘best champion not to be Finals MVP’ attached to his name). That’s the reality in a league of superstars, and Curry is one of its brightest.

On the other side of the coin, there’s no doubt that his stock would indeed skyrocket with the championship/MVP combo, probably enough to overtake Durant – for the time being – on the all-time list, though he’d still be eyeing LeBron from afar. What about other 21st Century names like Shaq, Kobe and Duncan – would the greatest shooter of all-time make his way into the NBA’s all-time top 10?