NBA
The Warriors’ Embarrassing Loss Proves Stephen Curry Isn’t Even the MVP of His Own Team
David Wysong began his sportswriting career in 2013 while still in high school and joined Sportscasting in 2020, where he channels his die-hard passion for the NFL (Indianapolis Colts), NBA (Cleveland Cavaliers), college football (Ohio State), and MLB (Cincinnati Reds) into covering the NFL, NBA, and LeBron James. David's inspiration comes from pursuing his childhood dream to write about sports. He served as the Editor-in-Chief of The News Record, the student newspaper at the University of Cincinnati, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in journalism, a double minor in electronic media and sports management, and the University of Cincinnati service to journalism award. David was a Society of Professional Journalists Region 4 Mark of Excellence finalist for in-depth reporting at The News Record and an Ohio Associated Press Media Editors Division I Best Sports Writer finalist at the Chillicothe Gazette.
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We all know Stephen Curry is a generational player. His unmatched three-point shooting has changed the game and has helped him win three NBA championships and two league MVP awards.
But is he even the MVP of his own team?
Curry and the Golden State Warriors had an embarrassing loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 27. They blew a 21-point lead and allowed the Mavs to go on a 33-8 run, leading to a 107-101 Golden State loss.
The game further proved that the Warriors are in a concerning slump, but it also showed that Draymond Green is the most valuable star on the team’s roster.
The Dallas Mavericks embarrassed Stephen Curry and the Warriors in a comeback win
It looked like the Warriors were going to coast to an easy win against the Mavericks on Feb. 27. They led by 21 in the third quarter and had a 88-74 lead heading into the fourth.
However, the scorching-hot Luka Doncic and his Dallas squad went on an unreal run in the final period, outscoring Golden State 33-13 to win 107-101.
Defense was clearly an issue for the Warriors in the loss. Allowing the Mavericks to score 33 points on 63.2% shooting in the fourth quarter is inexcusable. However, offense (or lack thereof) also played a role in the outcome. The Warriors shot 23.8% in the fourth, and Stephen Curry went 2-of-8 from the field, including 1-of-5 from three-point range.
The loss continued a lousy stretch of basketball for Golden State, and it also proved that Draymond Green is the most valuable player on the team.
Draymond Green is the Warriors’ MVP
Draymond Green has been out since Jan. 11 with a back issue. Before that, the Warriors were 30-9, but they have since gone just a mediocre 13-9. They are also 2-5 in their last seven games.
The team’s defense hasn’t been awful without Green, but it has still taken a significant step back. Before Draymond’s injury, the Warriors were No. 1 in the NBA with a 101.9 defensive rating. Their rating has been 109.3 since his injury.
The second half of Golden State’s game against the Mavs highlighted its lack of defensive intensity without Green. The Warriors had an impressive 92.3 defensive rating through the first two quarters, forcing 11 turnovers and holding Dallas to 43.6% shooting. In the third and fourth quarters, the Warriors’ defensive rating jumped up to an atrocious 128.3. They allowed the Mavs to shoot 56.4% from the field, and they only forced seven turnovers.
Stephen Curry’s production has also taken a hit without his All-Star teammate on the floor. Before Jan. 11, Curry had been scoring 26.8 points per game and shooting 38.7% from three-point range. Since then, he has averaged just 23.6 points on 35.1% from deep.
Green is known for his defensive efforts, but the team’s offense flows much more freely with him on the court. He leads the Golden State with 7.4 assists per game, and his basketball IQ ensures that his teammates are almost always in the correct spots on the floor.
The Warriors need Green, and they need him badly.
Draymond Green and Stephen Curry need each other
Just because Green is the Warriors’ true MVP doesn’t mean he or the team could have success without Stephen Curry.
They need each other.
When Curry missed all but five games in 2019-20, the Warriors went 15-50, and Green had one of the worst seasons of his career. He shot just 38.9% from the field that year and recorded only 6.2 assists per game.
That being said, Golden State still desperately needs Green back in the lineup. They were arguably the NBA’s best team with him. Without him, they are just a middle-of-the-pack Western Conference squad. (They were fighting for the No. 1 seed in the West before his injury. Now, they are in danger of dropping to the three-seed or even lower.)
Stephen Curry is a once-in-a-lifetime player. He’s the greatest shooter of all time and one of the top offensive threats the game has ever seen. But he has never won a title without Green.
Draymond Green is the Warriors’ MVP.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com and Basketball Reference
