The Golden State Warriors’ dynasty from 2016-17 to 2018-19 was a spectacle of basketball brilliance, driven by a formidable “Big Four” of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. Over three seasons, this superstar quartet powered the Warriors to back-to-back NBA championships in 2017 and 2018, and they might have secured a third straight title in 2019 if not for devastating injuries. While the team’s dominance was undeniable, one lingering narrative has sparked debate among fans and analysts: Stephen Curry’s failure to secure a Finals MVP during those championship runs, despite being the heart of the Warriors’ revolution.
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In 2015, Curry’s first championship with the Warriors, Andre Iguodala claimed the Finals MVP award, a surprise to many given Curry’s status as the NBA’s regular-season MVP. Fast forward to the Warriors’ back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018, and it was Kevin Durant who walked away with the Finals MVP honors both times. Durant’s case in 2017 was airtight, with a jaw-dropping stat line of 35.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 2.6 steals-plus-blocks per game on an absurd 55.6% field goal, 47.4% three-point, and 92.7% free-throw shooting splits. Curry, while phenomenal, couldn’t match Durant’s statistical dominance that year.
However, the 2018 Finals told a different story. Curry’s performance was neck-and-neck with Durant’s, averaging 27.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game. The race for Finals MVP seemed wide open—until Game 3 shifted the narrative. In that game, Curry struggled mightily, scoring just 11 points on a dismal 3-for-16 from the field and 1-for-10 from beyond the arc. Despite bouncing back with a 37-point masterpiece in Game 4 to close out the series, that single poor performance tipped the scales in Durant’s favor.
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Adding intrigue to the story, former Warriors champion Quinn Cook recently revealed a behind-the-scenes twist. According to Cook, Durant actively rooted for Curry to win the 2018 Finals MVP. “Kevin wanted Steph to get that Finals MVP so bad, that’s all he was talking about all season—so he can shut up everybody,” Cook shared. “He just accidentally got the Finals MVP back-to-back.” Durant’s selflessness highlighted the camaraderie within the Warriors’ locker room, but it did little to quell the growing sentiment that Curry, the engine of the team’s revolutionary style, was being overlooked.
In a recent interview while in China, Curry addressed the long-standing discussion about his lack of a Finals MVP during the Warriors’ dynasty years. With characteristic humility, the two-time regular-season MVP opened up about the 2018 Finals, where he came tantalizingly close to earning the award. “The idea of that being a conversation, I couldn’t run from it,” Curry said. “We had been to four straight Finals at that point, had won three out of four. 2018, I guess I was close. Had a bad Game 3. KD played unbelievable the entire time.”
Curry acknowledged the distraction that chasing individual accolades can create. “If you’re playing for a Finals MVP, you’re probably not gonna get it done because you’ll get distracted,” he explained. “I never really thought about it that much. 2018, I got close to thinking about it. But I’d rather have rings, obviously, and the opportunity to go get rings, but KD beyond well-deserved Finals MVP.”
For a player of Curry’s caliber—a transformative figure who redefined the game with his unparalleled shooting—missing out on Finals MVP in three championship runs stung, even if he downplayed it. Fans and analysts have long argued that Curry’s impact on the Warriors’ system, from his gravity-defying shooting to his unselfish playmaking, made him the team’s true cornerstone, even when sharing the spotlight with Durant.
Curry’s Finals MVP drought finally ended in 2022, when he led the Warriors to their fourth championship in eight years. Averaging 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game while shooting 48.2% from the field and 43.7% from three, Curry was undeniable in the Finals against the Boston Celtics. His Game 4 masterpiece—43 points on 14-for-26 shooting—silenced doubters and earned him the elusive Finals MVP award, a long-overdue recognition of his greatness.
While Curry’s 2022 Finals MVP cemented his place among the NBA’s all-time greats, the debate over his role in the 2017 and 2018 championships persists. Many fans argue that Curry’s influence—stretching defenses, creating space, and driving the Warriors’ motion offense—was more critical to those titles than Durant’s scoring prowess. Durant himself seemed to recognize this, as evidenced by Cook’s revelation about his desire to see Curry honored.
In the end, Curry’s legacy transcends individual awards. His three championships during the Warriors’ dynasty, combined with his 2022 Finals MVP, speak to a career defined by team success and revolutionary impact. Still, his candid reflections on the 2018 snub offer a rare glimpse into the mind of a superstar who prioritized rings over recognition—but who, deep down, knew he deserved both.