In the 2018 NBA Finals, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry delivered another dominant Golden State Warriors performance, sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0. Yet behind the champagne showers and championship smiles was a fascinating subplot, Kevin Durant had gone into the series actively hoping Curry would win his first Finals MVP, only to “accidentally” take the award himself.
Former Warriors guard Quinn Cook recently shared the story on the Players Choice podcast, offering insight into Durant’s mindset that season. According to Cook, Durant was vocal about wanting Curry to secure the award as a way to silence critics who claimed the two-time MVP couldn’t deliver on the biggest stage.
“To be honest, Kevin wanted Steph to get that Finals MVP. That’s all he was talking about all season: ‘I can’t wait till Steph gets his Finals MVP so he can shut up everybody.’”
“But I think in game two, that’s when Steph broke the record. In game three, we were struggling and Steph was struggling, and Kevin just, like, accidentally walked into forty-whatever.”
“And then you look at the numbers statistically, I think Kevin had a triple-double in game four. He wasn’t even as aggressive. That’s how good he is. He wasn’t even as aggressive, and he just accidentally got the Finals MVP back-to-back.”
Through the first two games, Curry looked on track to do exactly that. He opened the series with 29 points, six rebounds, and nine assists in Game 1, followed by a record-breaking performance in Game 2 where he drilled an NBA Finals record nine three-pointers en route to 33 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists. By that point, he was the clear frontrunner.
Durant’s numbers through those two games were impressive but slightly behind: 26 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in Game 1, followed by 26 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists in Game 2.
The balance shifted dramatically in Game 3. With Curry struggling to find his rhythm, just 11 points on 3-for-16 shooting, including 1-for-10 from deep, Durant took over. He erupted for 43 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, shooting 15-for-23 from the field and 6-for-9 from three.
His dagger three-pointer over JR Smith in the closing moments sealed the game and effectively the series, giving Golden State a commanding 3-0 lead.
Game 4 provided one last opportunity for Curry to reclaim the edge. He responded with 37 points, six rebounds, and four assists, but Durant quietly notched a triple-double with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.
By the time the dust settled, Durant’s overall series averages, 28.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 7.5 assists on 52.6% shooting narrowly eclipsed Curry’s 27.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.8 assists on 40.2% shooting.
Statistically, Durant’s consistency across all four games and his Game 3 masterpiece tipped the scales, earning him a second straight Finals MVP.
It has long been reported that Curry took the loss hard, with some accounts claiming he was emotional in the locker room afterward. For Warriors fans, the debate over whether Curry was “robbed” of the award has never fully gone away.
Durant himself has acknowledged that dynamic, recently addressing it directly in a fan Q&A on X. When asked why he thought some Golden State fans dislike him, Durant replied, “Them finals MVPs, they will never recover.”
While some saw the comment as a playful jab, others felt it was a subtle dig at Curry and the portion of the fanbase fiercely loyal to him.
Durant’s intent in 2018 may have been to help his teammate achieve personal validation, but his sheer talent made that nearly impossible. Even when he wasn’t trying to be aggressive, he had the ability to take over games and put up historic numbers.
That paradox, wanting Curry to win but being too good to let it happen, remains one of the most intriguing wrinkles in the Warriors’ dynasty.
In the end, the Finals MVP debate didn’t diminish Golden State’s dominance, but it did add fuel to one of the era’s most persistent what-ifs. If Curry had captured that award in 2018, it might have changed how some fans remember Durant’s time in the Bay and how the relationship between the two superstars is discussed today.
