The 2020 MVP race has been narrowed down to two leading competitors, LeBron James, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, one name is not into consideration due to injury problems, and one analyst is convinced Stephen Curry would have given a good fight if not for his health woes.
The Warriors superstar better than any of King James, and the Greek Freak is backed by solid records. He shines like the two and even outpaces their achievements.
According to Wil Gottlieb of Bleacher Report, minus the injury that forced Curry out of action in the season, it's easy to see that the Warriors guard is the best player in the NBA.
The one impressive thing about Curry is his willingness to let his teammates excel, as evidenced by the emergence of Klay Thompson and Draymond Green as major NBA figures. It's seemed hard to imagine that the two will be the big names they are today if not for Curry, according to Gottlieb.
Yet the biggest beneficiary of this selflessness by Curry was Kevin Durant.
"Curry allowed Durant to shine and win in ways he never could have with Oklahoma City. That's why Durant joined Golden State in the first place," the journalist wrote.
To be fair, KD made his mark too on the Dubs, but Curry's presence on the team inspired the Warriors to gun for the highest mark. And the team and roster members got what they wanted. GSW won three NBA titles in five consecutive Finals appearances while Durant secured two NBA rings and two Finals MVP to boot.
When compared with James and Antetokounmpo, the records will show that Curry is at par or in many areas better than his rivals. His three NBA crowns make him equal to the Lakers superstar, and his two MVP trophies give him an edge over the Bucks franchise player.
And both MVP contenders are unlikely to match the 73 wins registered by the Warriors in a season with Curry leading the way. The 32-year-old was in top condition then, and Gottlieb said Curry could continue dominating if only health is not an issue.
Which is the foremost consideration by Curry if he is to take part in the planned second NBA bubble in Chicago. NBC Sports said the Warriors star wants to make sure that participants for the proposed Chicago will be safe before his team can commit.
Curry said: "I think it's a good effort. Obviously safety first, that's what everything is about. So if they can answer those questions, then we'll see what happens."
The star conceded that the return to action would certainly benefit mostly the young NBA players, and the opportunity has to be extended as well to fresh Warriors recruits, considering that the team has been denied competitive basketball for months now.
