‘Not Ahead of Jokic’: Former NBA Champion Says Stephen Curry Isn’t a Top Three MVP Candidate

Published 05/11/2021, 7:39 AM EDT

Golden State Warriors’ scoring machine, Stephen Curry, has had a startling season so far. With big numbers being posted on the scoreboard, Curry is amongst the top-three in MVP contention.

Steph is averaging 31.9 points per game this season and continues to knock 30s and 40s whenever he steps on the court. Warriors fans have had an exciting time following their star players’ effortless buckets from beyond the arc. He is dropping a massive 42.9% from the perimeter, which is incredible.

Despite Stephen Curry‘s fabulous year, the Warriors are sitting at the eighth seed in the Western Conference standings. In the absence of Klay Thompson, the burden has fallen on Steph’s shoulders.

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Denver Nuggets’ All-Star Nikola Jokic is comfortably holding on to the top spot on the MVP ladder this time. Meanwhile, the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and Chris Paul are constantly switching MVP power rankings with Curry.

“Warriors are sitting at number 8”: Perkins considers team standings for Kia MVP Race

While many believe this to be one of Curry’s best individual years in the league, former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins would like to “respectfully disagree”. His parameters of choosing MVP candidates primarily lie on team performances.

“I’m not taking anything from Steph. Steph has been must-see TV, he has been on another level,” Perkins said on an MVP debate at ESPN’s ‘First Take’. “The goal post continues to move. And when we talk about the MVP, we talk about where’s your team right now. We’ve been looking at the top-ranking teams… The Warriors are sitting at number 8. Everyone in the world says… he don’t have the great support cast and I get that point. But, they’re still sitting at the eighth seed.”

Fans are yet to figure out if Warriors will make it through the play-in tournament in order to clinch the playoff spot.

Are Jokic and Embiid better than Stephen Curry?

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Perkins opened up a question for debate after pulling Steph out of the MVP race from his side. He doesn’t consider Warriors’ point guard better than Jokic, Embiid, or Paul.

“There’s no way he could be a top-three MVP candidate. I have him as a top-five; I strongly believe he should be in the conversation,” Perkins added. “But he’s not ahead of Jokic, he’s not ahead of Embiid, he’s not ahead of Giannis, and he’s not ahead of CP3.”

The Kia MVP ladder is becoming a closer battle with each passing day. However, do you agree with Kendrick Perkins’ statement?

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Written by:

Pavni Ahuja is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. Housing a keen interest in sports journalism, she is pursuing an undergraduate Journalism degree from Christ University. Pavni is an ardent fan of the NBA, with prior district-level playing experience in basketball.

‘Not Ahead of Jokic’: Former NBA Champion Says Stephen Curry Isn’t a Top Three MVP Candidate

“Warriors are sitting at number 8”: Perkins considers team standings for Kia MVP Race

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