Fact Check: Was Stephen Curry Really Upset About 2018 Finals MVP Loss to Kevin Durant?

Imagine being a pioneer for the sport, a revolutionary, and even after winning everything their legacy is questioned. That was the life of Stephen Curry, even after winning 3 Championships. The Baby Face Assassin had altered the game forever with his remarkable range shooting. He also had a unanimous MVP and rings to bolster his case as one of the all-time greats. However, there was a time when he came close, but probably never closer than he did in 2018 to win a ring. But did his thirst for individual glory leave him in sorrow despite an important win?

During the 2018 NBA Finals, the Warriors were written as Champions way before the series against LeBron James and the Cavaliers began. After the first two games, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant were neck-and-neck for the Finals MVP trophy. All that was needed to give the other an edge was one bad game. Curry had that in Game 3 of the Finals, scoring a Finals career-low 11 points. The Slim Reaper didn’t stop. He controlled the game with his unguardable scoring and finished with the iconic three over LeBron James to go one step closer to defending the Warriors’ championship. Nick Young, a former teammate of theirs, only remembers Curry with his head down in the locker room “d*mn near tears” in his eyes because he knew the ramifications of his appalling performance. 

It was an odd picture to paint.

Curry had been his most selfless version, not only accommodating Durant but even giving him the keys to the franchise during the previous season. The NBA realms wanted an explanation. Finally, sitting down with his former General Manager Bob Myers, Stephen Curry revisited the time to reveal exactly what had happened. And his reason for being dejected was far from him losing the Finals MVP, even though it was a thought in his mind.

“The fact that I shot it horribly. It was all over the place. I made one shot towards the end of the game. KD makes the big three. We go up 3-0 and it’s like we’re good. But the Finals MVP, I knew it was done after that. It was part of the emotional rollercoaster where I was like, ‘Oh that would have been cool to have kept that level of play going because that might have got there. But it’s also we won. So you’re dealing with a little bit of both of that. And it’s more I think Andre had his arm around me on the way back to the tunnel. We had just won, and I was downing myself because of how I played,” he explained on Lead By Example with Bob Myers.

It’s not that Curry was upset about losing the Finals MVP to Kevin Durant. His frustrations were because of his own shortfalls. It evoked agony since the three-point revolutionary wanted to maintain his level of play, having scored 62 points in the first two games of the NBA Finals. He would eventually bounce back in Game 4, scoring 37 to complete the sweep. Yet his meltdown in Game 3 heavily affected his position for the Finals MVP.

Durant would go on to claim those honors for the second consecutive season. Curry would win a 3rd championship, however, the conversations around his illuminating legacy grew more intense. The media labeled him as a bad playoff performer. Someone the Warriors couldn’t lean on when they were battling adversity. “On the biggest stage in the biggest moment, Steph Curry displays no clutch gene. He shrinks and disappears”, Skip Bayless’ words in 2022 reverberated after Curry failed to produce against the Celtics.

The argument began that he wasn’t Clutch. Curry, a player who influenced generations to come, couldn’t garner the support of the media. However, knowing Curry, instead of asking for sympathy, he would prefer proving others wrong to put a cap on his abilities. So he went out and did it- killing two birds with one stone.

The 360-degree turn of Stephen Curry

Until the 2022 NBA Finals, the Warriors legend had some lowlights during intense and pressurizing moments. He hadn’t satisfied experts of being the franchise savior. Curry was viewed as a superstar, but under the condition that the game isn’t tense. Something had to be done, and so the two-time MVP chose to overturn his legacy within a matter of two seasons.

The biggest moment came in 2022. He was back on the stage of the NBA Finals after three years. This time there was no Durant to lean on. It was truly a system built around Stephen Curry. The Chef decided enough was enough. He led a powerful resurgence in the series, winning 3 straight games after going down 2-1. Curry would average 31.2 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists, enough to claim his maiden Finals MVP.

Then this season, Curry reshaped the views around his ability to deliver when the Warriors are cornered. At 36, he led the league in clutch scoring and field goals made. He was awarded the Clutch Player of The Year for bailing out the Warriors on countless occasions. It solidified the illustrious career Stephen Curry has had. And now, no one could question his stature as the franchise ace because he has truly won everything the NBA has to offer.

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