Stephen Curry set himself up as the MVP frontrunner after the first two months of the season. The Golden State Warriors were first in the West, with Curry putting up incredible numbers. However, he's struggled since mid-December, prompting some to question his MVP candidacy. But the Warriors remain in the thick of the title race, and Curry's numbers did not take a big enough dive to ruin his case for the league's highest individual honor.
Thus, here are two key reasons why Steph Curry is still in the MVP race despite the recent slump.
Reasons for Curry remaining in the MVP race
His numbers are still great
It is absolutely true that Curry's pure stats have taken a hit in recent weeks. He's averaging 21.8 points, 7.1 assists and 5.5 rebounds over his last 14 games, shooting 39.1% from the field and 32.7% from three-point land. Yet, his first part of the season was so iconic that Curry's MVP case is still ironclad. He's averaging 25.9 points, 6.3 assists, 5.4 rebounds for the season as a while, shooting 42.1% from the field aand 38.1% from behind the arc.
Those numbers would be career-best for pretty much anyone but Curry. He's still tied for seventh in per-game scoring and has also been increasing his distribution in the last few weeks, correctly recognizing that his shots are not falling. Additionally, the Warriors are 10-4 over Curry's last 14 games. They are on pace to have a great season and if it was not for the major surge by the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies, Curry would be lead the Warriors to another No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
Obviously, some people expect more efficiency from the two-time MVP. He's shooting under 45% from the field for the first time in his career. However, his 58.9 true shooting percentage is still well above league-average. It's also not exactly fair to compare this season to Curry's previous MVP campaigns, especially when he became the first unanimous winner of the award in 2015-16.
Curry's spoiled us into forgetting he's 32, on the downside of his prime. But his previous standard shouldn't factor into current comparisons with other superstars.
The field is not as strong as it might seem
The MVP field is always very strong, but this season might be a real coin-flip between a few guys.
Nikola Jokic is the defending MVP, which might be more of an issue than an advantage despite putting up jaw-dropping numbers while dragging the injury-riddled Denver Nuggets to sixth in the Western Conference standings. Unfortunately for Jokic, avoiding the play-in tournament probably won't be enough to convince voters he deserves a second straight MVP.
The second favorite for the award is probably Kevin Durant, who is the leading scorer in the NBA. However, he will be out due to an MCL sprain for at least a couple of more weeks. Additionally, the Brooklyn Nets are 2-8 without him and currently on a seven-game losing streak, mired in constant drama surrounding Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Strangely enough, those factors could work in Durant's favor, as his immense value to Brooklyn has only been further cemented. Still, with that case which is quite a stretch, Curry seems like he is still over Durant in the MVP standings.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is also a considerable candidate, as his Milwaukee Bucks completely turned it around after a disappointing start of the season. Yet, even right now, the Warriors have eight more wins than the squad from Wisconsin. It is admirable that Antetokounmpo was able to keep the Bucks competitive amid a rash of injuries, but they are still fourth in an overcrowded top of the Eastern Conference.
There are other candidates, like Joel Embiid or even DeMar DeRozan, but it seems like it is still Steph Curry's award to lose. He does not have voter fatigue anymore, the Warriors are still great, and if he can replicate 50% of his first half of the season, he could be the first pick for many MVP voters out there.
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