Reigning Finals MVP Stephen Curry admits the 2022 championship meant much more than the two he won alongside Kevin Durant in 2017-18.
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The Golden State Warriors are on top of the NBA once again, winning their 4th title in 8-years. After not making the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, the Dubs have managed to revive their dynasty. In what many believed, the championship window was closed post-Kevin Durant’s exit in 2019.
The Warriors organization is a well-oiled machine, boasting a supremely talented roster backed by an highly efficient management. The $5.6 billion franchise has one of the best cultures in American sports, with it being high-time GM Bob Myers and co-owner Joe Lacob get their flowers.
Speaking of GSW as a team, there are no two ways about the fact that Stephen Curry is the face that runs the place. While the former unanimous MVP had accomplished almost every accolade in the book, the lack of a Finals MVP award would cast an asterisk over his all-time great status.
Nonetheless, Curry managed to silence all his critics and naysayers, collecting 3 MVP awards during the 2021-22 season, with the Bill Russell award being the icing on the cake. The four-time champion doesn’t hesitate to acknowledge the importance of the latest title over the previous.
Stephen Curry picks the 2022 championship over the two won alongside Kevin Durant.
Before winning his 4th title, many expressed their doubts over the ability of Steph Curry to carry a team. The two-time scoring champion’s dipping numbers come postseason, and the lack of a clutch gene was a cause of concern. The arrival of Kevin Durant only furthered the above notion.
During KD’s 3-seasons with the Warriors, they made the Finals each time, winning the chip twice, with the Slim Reaper being Finals MVP each time. Many felt that Curry and co required the services of the OKC MVP to get past their arch-rivals in LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
Thus post Durant’s exit, there was a notion of the Warriors’ era of dominance being over, with people forgetting about their championship DNA. Nonetheless, Coach Kerr and his crew let their work do the talking, winning the 2022 championship.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Ashley Nicole Moss, Curry was asked whether the 2022 championship meant more than the two with KD, to which he replied the following.
“No, I want this one,” said the eight-time All-Star. “No, give me this one, all day every day.”
“You don’t find me ugly crying on the court for no reason. That raw emotion that came out after Game 6 kind of signaled how much it meant to me, how much it meant to our team.”
“The first (championship), you don’t really know what you’re doing until you accomplish it, and then you’re celebrating. The next two were kind of validation, trying to remain champions. But after these last three years and winning that (2022 title), definitely the most special.”
Curry’s 2022 Finals performance was nothing short of a spectacle, with the 6ft 3′ guard averaging 31.2 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.0 APG, and 2.0 SPG on an impressive 43.7% shooting from the 3-point line.
Also read: $160 Million Stephen Curry claims Former Coach ‘saved his career’ amidst Trade uncertainties
