Everybody needs to settle down about Stephen Curry being named the first unanimous MVP in NBA history. The sportswriters finally got it right when it comes to voting for the award after years and years of screwing it up.
Back in 2013, LeBron James missed the opportunity to make history because some trifling writer wanted to be a dick and gave Carmelo Anthony a first-place vote. Shaq missed out in 2000 because one vote went to Allen Iverson. The closest Michael Jordan ever came was in 1996 when he missed it by four votes. Wilt Chamberlain averaged 24.1 PPG, 24.2 RPG, 7.8 APG in 1967 and still couldn’t get writers to unanimously vote him most valuable. Statistically, Wilt had the all-time greatest individual season in NBA history in 1962, but didn’t win the MVP. Bill Russell did. Also, ’62 was the same year Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double. And you're heated about Curry?
Why did Steph deserve the MVP unanimously? How about joining the 50-40-90 club for the first time in his career? Or shattering the single-season 3-point record he set last year by 116? Or being one of three players (MJ & AI) to lead the league in points and steals per game? Or being the first player to average 30 points while playing less than 35 minutes a night? Not enough? How about being the best player on the best team in goddamn history? The Warriors won 73 games in an 82-game season. Can you guys do math? Are you consumed by hate? And if that weren't enough, after reports surfaced about him being named MVP, he returned to the court after three weeks of injury to break another record.
Robots aren’t the ones voting for NBA MVPs, humans are. Petty human beings with agendas and biases.
We can debate about the league being watered down until the cows come home. Tracy McGrady was never able to get his teams out of the first round of the playoffs. The only time he made it out of the first round was when he snuck himself onto the Spurs playoff roster in 2013. In 31 minutes of action T-Mac went 0-7 in six Finals games. The Heat won that series in seven. What is he talking about? Have you checked out some of the All-Star teams of his era? Sounds like selective amnesia if you ask me.
Robots aren’t the ones voting for NBA MVPs, humans are. Petty human beings with agendas and biases. Getting hung up on this unanimous thing is pointless. Most are looking like old men yelling at clouds. Did LeBron and Kawhi deserve some first place votes this year? Absolutely. Should either of them been named 2016 MVP? Absolutely not. Neither of them had a historic season on a historical team. This is Steph's league, he's the captain now.
Of course, none of this means a thing without a ring. The Warriors aren’t done yet and neither are the flaming hot takes. With the Spurs on the ropes, the Thunder playing their best basketball of the year, and revenge seething through Cleveland’s veins, Golden State is sure to be tested in the coming weeks. How about we try to sit back and watch the two starting fives worth of Hall of Famers left in the 2016 playoffs? LeBron, Wade, Westbrook, Durant, Curry, Parker, Duncan, Manu, Kawhi, LaMarcus are all surefire Hall of Famers or future ones. The league is so watered down, right?
