Who says you can’t have it all?
Stephen Curry believes in the power of positive thinking, that hard work pays off and that you can make your own destiny.
You don’t accomplish the things Curry has the past two seasons without being convinced that you can have it all.
Curry’s in the driver’s seat of the Golden State Warriors’ unrelenting pursuit of a NBA-record 73 win season, a goal that’s within reach with 70 wins already in the bank and three games remaining.
The Warriors have already joined the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls as the only teams in NBA history to win 70 or more games.
Curry is not only on course for a second straight Kia MVP award but has a chance to push it to another level as the league’s first unanimous MVP winner.
“If anybody has ever had a chance to do it, Steph’s on course,” an Eastern Conference executive said. “The way he’s played, the way his team has played … nobody as a better case for the top spot this season.”
LeBron James came close, getting all but one first-place vote in 2012-13. Carmelo Anthony got the nod on one ballot over James. Shaquille O’Neal came within one vote of a unanimous victory when he won his lone MVP in 1999-2000, when Allen Iverson was first on one ballot.
Curry’s challenge will come from the likes of James, the Oklahoma City Thunder duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook and San Antonio Spurs star Kawhi Leonard. They’ve all put together seasons worthy of first place votes.
But Curry’s run, from the Warriors’ record 24-0 start to the season to their end-of-the-season chase for the best regular season record in league history, places him in truly rarified air.
He’s already set the NBA record for 3-pointers made in a season (385 and counting), breaking his own record from last season. He’s averaging a league-leading 29.9 points, as well as 6.7 assists, 5.4 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game while posting otherworldly shooting numbers (50 percent overall, 46 percent on 3-pointers and 90 percent from the free throw line).
Curry’s focus, though, is on the Warriors finishing the business of completing a second straight championship run.
They needed Thursday night’s win over Leonard and the Spurs to clinch the No. 1 seed for the playoffs and Curry responded in kind, working the Spurs over for 27 points on just 19 shots, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals.
“Two teams in the history of the game have reached where we are right now,” Curry said. “It’s a proud moment and something that should be recognized.”
It will be, in more ways than one.
This week’s Top 10 in the Kia Race to the MVP:
1. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Any suggestion that Curry and the Warriors are showing signs of fatigue or weakness were dispelled with Thursday night’s home defeat of the San Antonio Spurs. Curry was particularly sharp against a defense that stymied him in their previous matchup, finishing with 27 points on 11-for-19 shooting and 3-for-7 on 3-pointers. He added nine assists, five rebounds and two steals as the Warriors joined the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls to win at least 70 games. And the Warriors’ quest for 73 continues this weekend with Saturday night’s game in Memphis (8 ET, ESPN) and Sunday night’s showdown in San Antonio (7 ET, NBA TV).
2. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Complain all you want about LeBron’s off-court antics, and he’s had plenty this season. But his impact on the Cavaliers is undeniable, as their 1-4 record without him this season (including Wednesday’s loss in Indiana) suggests. The fact remains, LeBron is the Cavaliers’ best scorer, facilitator, rebounder and individual defender on a given night and working without him upsets the team’s ecosystem in ways that no other team has to deal with when their catalyst is not in the lineup. In his last eight games LeBron has averaged 27.1 points on 58 percent shooting, 9.5 assist, 8.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
3. Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder
Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Coach Billy Donovan is being cautious, and rightfully so, with Durant down the stretch of this regular season. He’s making sure his superstar gets all the rest needed to be fresh and energized for the postseason. Durant’s streak of 62 games scoring 20 or more points, a career-best, remains as remarkable a scoring feat as can be, given that he has to share the scoring duties with a player as dynamic and explosive as Russell Westbrook. The Thunder will need Durant at his very best in these playoffs, where the opportunity to upset the order of things will present itself in the second round.
4. Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Last week’s ranking: No. 4
The absence of Westbrook and Kevin Durant in Wednesday’s loss in Portland wasn’t as glaring as you might expect studying the final results. But make no mistake, the Thunder would be a shell of the team they are without their dynamic duo leading the way. Westbrook’s consistent production across the board this season has made him one of the most valuable players in the game, regardless of position. But with their postseason position locked in, there is no need to push it in the final days of the regular season. And given the way Westbrook’s motor revs at all times (23.6 points, 10.4 assists, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 steals), coach Billy Donovan is right to rest him however he sees fit.
5. Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Leonard was effective against an inspired defensive effort from the Warriors Thursday night, finishing with 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting from the floor, 2-fo-3 from deep. It’s clear the Spurs will go as far as Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge can carry them in the postseason. As well as the entire roster works together, everyone knows that its your stars that have to step up and lead the way in the postseason. And there is no doubt that Leonard and Aldridge have assumed the role of co-headliners for a team that boasts an all-time great in Tim Duncan and seasoned champions in Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has done a masterful job making sure the torch has been passed seamlessly this season.
6. Chris Paul, Los Angeles Clippers
Last week’s ranking: No. 6
Clippers coach Doc Rivers is doing the wise thing and resting Paul tonight against the Utah Jazz (9 ET, NBA League Pass). Given the workload Paul assumed since Christmas, when Blake Griffin went down, it’s reasonable to expect Rivers to be extremely cautious with his star point guard s the regular season winds down. Paul’s recent work (19.8 points, 10.6 assists, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 steals in his last 10 games) shows that he’s got all the energy needed to tote the heavy playoff load that’s looming. And having Griffin back in the lineup and getting more and more comfortable in his revamped role will only serve to bolster the Clippers’ cause in the postseason.
7. Isaiah Thomas, Boston Celtics
Last week’s ranking: No. 8
After the season Thomas has put together, it’s time to end this chatter about the Celtics working without a legitimate star. Ask the Golden State Warriors if he’s a legitimate star. Given how Thomas has stepped up his production when Jae Crowder and Evan Turner were out only serves to highlight the versatility and impact Thomas has as a No. 1 offensive option. Thomas is averaging 25.1 points, 4.8 assists and 3.4 rebounds over his last 10 games, riding a nice wave into the postseason that could serve as a true breakout opportunity for he and the Celtics.
8. Kyle Lowry, Toronto Raptors
Last week’s ranking: No. 7
Lowry and the Raptors welcomed DeMarre Carroll back to the lineup in Thursday’s loss to the Hawks in Atlanta. Carroll’s 41-game absence (knee) changed the way the Raptors wanted to play this season, heaping much more on the plates of both Lowry and fellow All-Star DeMar DeRozan. But that experience of working without the team’s key offseason acquisition for so long should prove beneficial for a Raptors team that is trying to shake off the ghost of back-to-back first-round playoff exits. Fatigue could be a factor in the first round for Lowry, who is logging heavy minutes this season (37.2 per night), a number that would tax anyone over the course of an 82-game season.
9. Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons
Last week’s ranking: No. 9
The Pistons’ magic number to clinch a playoff berth stands at one. Just one more win to end a playoff drought that has lasted six long years for fans of “Detroit Basketball.” There is no denying Drummond’s impact on the turnaround. For all of the good things you can trace back to coach Stan Van Gundy’s arrival on the scene, Drummond was already there and in place as the low-post foundation of the franchise. He’s come into his own as an All-Star and a truly dominant force under Van Gundy. The league leader in double-doubles, Drummond has piled up nine straight dating back to mid-March and is averaging 15.8 points on 54 percent shooting and 14.2 rebounds in his last 10 games.
10. Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Last week’s ranking: No. 10
The honors will start rolling in for the Trail Blazers soon. Neil Olshey should be a strong contender for Executive of the Year and C.J. McCollum should have a great shot at winning the Most Improved Player award. Lillard, the one person most responsible for the stunning playoff season they’ve put together in Portland, might have to go without. Spots on the All-NBA teams will be tight. So he might just have to settle for local hero status, which should be a lock given his unwavering leadership and production (25 points, 6.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds) during a season many thought would be an afterthought for a team wth depleted roster.
Others receiving consideration: Kemba Walker, Charlotte Hornets; Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat; Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors; Paul George, Indiana Pacers; Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
Sekou Smith is a staff writer for NBA.com. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter.
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