NBA

NBA MVP Watch: Stephen Curry Deserved to Win Unanimously

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Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors

nERD Score: 26.3
Team Record: 73-9

• Leader in Points (30.1) and Steals (2.14)
• NBA record 402 three-pointers made
• Third player to join 50-45-90 Club

Coming off a magical year, the Golden State Warriors began their title defense by dismantling opponents with no regard. They went gangbusters -- steamrolling to a 24-0 start -- and finished the season by supplanting the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls as the winningest regular season team in league history.

Sure, Klay Thompson was great. And yes, Draymond Green was an all-around beast. But there's no question that the team rode the coattails of the one and only Stephen Curry.


There were a whopping 25 games in which Curry recorded more points scored than minutes played (James Harden, the second leading scorer this season, only did so in nine games). And no, it wasn't some lucky hot streak that he stumbled upon mid-season; the ridiculousness began from the very first tip-off in New Orleans and was more or less consistent until the second-to-last game against the San Antonio Spurs.

Curry made just as many insane shots as he did headlines. He brought back awe to pregame warmups and pioneered the desperation-less 30-footer. Most impressive of all, Curry proved that he could repeat as MVP while still becoming better (he placed fourth in the Most Improved Player Award voting).

After recently setting yet another NBA record with 17 points in a single overtime period (a mere five minutes, in case you forgot), Curry's excellence is on the cusp of imagination -- is anything he does "unbelievable" anymore?

Congratulations, Steph, on a believable season.