The Golden State Warriors have started the season off strong, going 6-1 in their first 7 games in the NBA. Their most recent victory against the Charlotte Hornets was a statement, showing the NBA that they can be solid on both the offensive and the defensive end of the court.
So much so, that the Warriors surpassed the Miami Heat as the best defensive team in the NBA after their win against the Hornets. On top of that, their current defensive rating of 97.8 is the lowest in the NBA since the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons, who went on to win the NBA championship that season.
Steph Curry has been solid to start the season. But he had a slow night against the Hornets, going 6-15 from the field and 3-11 from the three-point line. Despite this, he was able to contribute with 15 points and 9 assists for the Warriors.
Draymond Green believes that Stephen Curry deserves to be in the MVP conversation. He thinks that the amount of defensive attention Curry garners plays a big role in their offensive execution. And if that results in the Warriors winning basketball games, then he has a strong case for the trophy.
“I think he deserves that all the time… There’s not another player in the NBA that is guarded the way that Steph Curry is guarded… If this team continues to win, it’s going to be hard to deny that.”
Currently, Steph Curry is averaging 28 points per game and is putting up good numbers. But his three-point percentage is below 40% for only the second time in his career. On top of that, his numbers in the 4th quarter have been very poor, something Steve Kerr believes is a fluke for the time being.
Draymond isn’t the only one backing Steph to win MVP. Tim Legler has also stated that he believes Curry will be the 2022 MVP. This would make Curry the only active player aside from LeBron James to have more than 2 league MVP titles to his name.
Steph’s catch-and-shoot three-point numbers are still solid, as he is second behind Carmelo Anthony. But his three-point shooting numbers have to improve, as he is the focal point of the Warriors’ offense, and they rely on him to make those shots consistently.