While the good news the Golden State Warriors would have hoped for is that today would be a day off from beating the upstart Memphis Grizzlies and resting to face the Utah Jazz, that isn’t their reality. Unfortunately for them, their reason is now finished and the Grizzlies secured the NBA’s final playoff spot.
However, the team did receive some very positive news for its star player and two-time MVP Steph Curry this past week. On Thursday’s NBA on TNT, he was announced as one of the finalists for the NBA’s most prestigious individual award, Most Valuable Player.
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Curry Among the Final Three for NBA MVP
GettyStephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors
This season, Curry has had one of the best, if not the best, season he’s ever had. While looking back at his MVP winning seasons may say otherwise, in those two he did not have to carry the Warriors franchise in the way he has this year.
He was expected, from day one, to perform at an outer world level to be able to lift this team to the playoffs. While he failed to do so, being able to get this close, with the vast majority of his teammates being so inexperienced, is a testament to how good he is.
As the NBA on TNT announced the MVP finalists, the New York Times NBA reporter Marc Stein tweeted out the news.
Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Stephen Curry are the three finalists for NBA MVP.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) May 20, 2021
Among those three being named, the rest of the award finalists were also announced as reported per The Athletic. While Coach of the year has already been awarded to Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns, the rest of the winners have yet to be awarded.
They include Rookie of the Year in which LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets; Anthony Edwards of the Minnesota Timberwolves, and Tyrese Haliburton of the Sacramento Kings. Sixth Man of the Year has Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz, Joe Ingles with the Jazz, and Derrick Rose from the New York Knicks.
Fellow Warriors and former Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green is in the running for this season’s version of the award alongside, Rudy Gobert from the Jazz and Ben Simmons from the Philadelphia 76ers. Lastly, Most Improved has a finalist trio of Jerami Grant from the Detroit Pistons; Michael Porter Jr. of the Denver Nuggets, and Julius Randle of the New York Knicks.
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Curry Believes the MVP is His
GettyGolden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry did not hesitate to declare himself MVP of the league in an interview with Rex Chapman on Thursday, April 21, 2021.
As much as other people may believe Curry is deserving of the MVP, it will ultimately be up to the voters. Nonetheless, Curry made it known that he does feel deserving of it given how he’s played this season.
“Yeah, I do [feel deserving of the MVP],” Curry said to ESPN reporter Ramona Shelburne. “But even if you don’t win it, being in the conversation, top five — those type of acknowledgments show what you’re about, no matter what the situation is, year to year.
“That, in and of itself, is the reward, because we all know how hard it is to actually have everything go right for a season that you actually win it.”
“We have a certain style and expectation around here that when we don’t meet it, it does become frustrating,” Curry said. “We’re learning on the fly about how to rebuild.”
Moving into the next season, the Warriors will be reloaded adding back star shooting guard Klay Thompson, the second overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft James Wiseman, and potentially two good 2021 draft picks. If Curry can replicate what he did this season with the added pieces of next, he may be the frontrunner for the 2021-22 NBA MVP award.
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