Stephen Curry became Super Saian on Monday and catapulted himself back into the MVP conversation. The Golden State Warriors lost by 49 points to one of the league’s top MVP candidates, Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.
Of course, this is not just an accident. Curry was involved in a wacky shootout in April that left us (and Magic Johnson) wondering if he deserves another Maurice Podoloff trophy ahead of Embiid and league MVP candidate Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
Steph Curry left no doubt who the real MVP was tonight! He scored 49 points to lead his Warriors to a 107-96 victory over the Sixers.
– Erwin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) April 20, 2021
If you’re still nervous about Curry’s MVP season, here are three reasons why he deserves the #3 MVP trophy.
1. Stephen Curry external statistics
Let’s start with the basics – statistics. Stephen Curry last lifted the MVP trophy in the 2015-2016 season, when he was unanimously voted MVP twice. The 2015-16 season was not only historic for the Warriors (73-9), but also for Curry.
Not only is he the 11th player in NBA history to win back-to-back MVP awards, but he is also the first player to be unanimously elected. Curry also led the league in scoring this year, with the elusive 50-40-90 club. Looking at the numbers, Curry’s 2020-21 season is surprisingly better than his 2015-16 season.
After his recent resurgence, Curry has outdone himself, averaging 31.4 points per game, compared to 30.1 points per game in 2015-16. Although his field goal percentage is down slightly (.504 vs. .491), he has maintained his average of 5.1 3-point shots per game and his 2-point shooting is also much improved.
2. Most Valuable Warrior
As we all know, MVP awards are not just based on data. This brings us to the second reason why Steph deserves the MVP award this season: He has been the most valuable player on his team all season. Considering the other big names getting attention this season, Curry’s name should be at the top of the list when it comes to the impact he has had on his team’s success, especially this year.
For the first time in a long time, Curry doesn’t have All-Star caliber teammates, which makes his impact on the Warriors even more apparent. Golden State has a 1-7 record this season when Curry is not around.
If Curry keeps playing like this, it should happen pic.twitter.com/VZBwN7YAjk
– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) 20. April 2021
Okay, it’s safe to say that Jokic doesn’t have any decent All-Star teammates either. But if you look at the numbers, the wildcard got a lot more help from players like Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. When it comes to the most valuable player to his respective team, Curry is by far one of them.
Spoken by Stephen Curry
Last but not least: Curry winning his third MVP fits that logic. Everyone in the NBA loves an underdog story, and surprisingly, Curry and his team have been one of the biggest underdogs of the season.
Without Klay Thompson for the second consecutive season and with the loss of second-round pick James Wiseman, the Warriors were hit far more often than any other team in the league over the past two seasons. That was enough fuel for Carrey to continue with this crazy MVP campaign.
After winning their third NBA Finals trophy in four years last season, the Warriors lost to the Toronto Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals, with their worst record in the league. Now, with Curry at the helm, Golden State is on track to return to the playoffs this season.
MVP of the number in Philadelphia.
Steph Curry – SPECIAL pic.twitter.com/Qt9IwqC7V4
– ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) 20. April 2021
Yes, the Warriors’ struggles in the playoffs could derail Curry’s MVP chances this season. They are currently in ninth place and have not yet secured their ticket to the tournament. For those who rely on this anecdote, let me remind you that Russell Westbrook won his MVP trophy with the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2016/17 season, despite the fact that OKC finished the regular season only sixth.
I’m going to leave my company.
Related Tags:
nba standingsgolden state warriors,People also search for,Privacy settings,How Search works,nba standings,golden state warriors
