Stephen Curry on Possibly Winning Finals MVP: 'You Want to Be Able to Experience It'
June 7, 2022
Stephen Curry isn't motivated by the NBA Finals MVP Award, but the Golden State Warriors superstar acknowledged he'd like to feel the joy that comes with winning it.
Speaking to ESPN's Malika Andrews, Curry was asked what the award would mean to him.
"There's so much joy in that moment," he said. "You want to be able to experience it."
NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBASteph Curry joined <a href="https://twitter.com/malika_andrews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@malika_andrews</a> on NBA Today and discussed what a Finals MVP would mean to him:<br><br>"There's just so much joy in that moment no matter what. ... You want to be able to experience it." <a href="https://t.co/i6Vrl9xuB2">pic.twitter.com/i6Vrl9xuB2</a>
Curry is already a three-time NBA champion, a two-time regular-season MVP (including the only unanimous winner), an eight-time All-Star and arguably the greatest shooter in league history.
As he noted, the Finals MVP Award would "pretty much" mean the Warriors beat the Boston Celtics to win another title.
During Golden State's run of three championships in four seasons from 2014-15 to 2017-18, Andre Iguodala and Kevin Durant (twice) were named MVPs of the Finals.
Iguodala's honor for the 2014-15 Finals win over the Cleveland Cavaliers is easily the most controversial of those three. (He received seven of 11 votes; LeBron James received the other four.)
Speaking to The Athletic's Sam Amick on Saturday, a day before Game 2 against the Celtics, Iguodala discussed Curry's lack of a Bill Russell Finals MVP trophy.
"It just bothers me that you've got a guy of this caliber [in Curry] and they continue to take shots at him," he said. "There's no reason to take a shot at him. Great athletes, that doesn't happen as often. People tend to appreciate our great athletes more, but now that you're so close to them, you're just looking for ways to take shots."
Iguodala also mentioned that "no one takes anything away from Brett Favre," who led the Green Bay Packers to the Super Bowl title during the 1996 season. Desmond Howard was named MVP of the game against the New England Patriots.
Curry averaged 26.0 points, 6.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds per contest against the Cavs in 2015. He shot 44.3 percent (38.5 percent from three) in the six-game series.
Through two games against Boston, Curry is averaging 31.5 points, 4.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 3.0 steals with a 45.7 shooting percentage and 46.2 three-point percentage.
After splitting the first two games at the Chase Center, the Warriors and Celtics will play Game 3 at TD Garden at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday.