The Golden State Warriors have a chance to return to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2019. The Warriors are all but assured of a spot in the Finals on June 2 if they win the next three games. Winning a fourth championship is the most important thing to Curry.
Curry's legacy is mostly set, having won three titles, two league awards and two scoring titles, as well as being recognized as the greatest shooter in the game's history. The one accolade that is still missing is the Finals Most Valuable Player. Curry will become an NBA legend if he wins just one Finals Most Valuable Player award.
Let's first acknowledge what many fans of James are afraid of. Another ring ties him with King James. Curry could match James ring-for-ring with a Warriors championship this year.
Another reason for title No. 4 is Kevin Durant. The narrative that Golden State wouldn't win another title after 2015 is still out there. KD came to town and won two titles with the Warriors. Curry has zero. Curry needs another victory in the Finals to make the noise about him go away.
KD was the only reason they won the second and third titles. That has been the indictment of Curry's career. It probably shouldn't be, but it is the reality of the situation. If Golden State wins a fourth championship, this one could be even better.
One of the biggest winners in Bay Area sports history, Joe Montana, has a chance to climb onto the same level as Steph. Joe Cool won four titles. Montana won two Super Bowls with Jerry Rice, and two without him. Curry is looking for his second without his friend. It is not an apples-to-apples comparison, but it fits. Curry needs that FinalsMVP to make it more of a comparison.
Taking home the Larry O Brien trophy and the FinalsMVP should catapult him into the Top 10. The main sticking point in the conversation is his lack of a Finals Most Valuable Player. Depending on who you ask, Curry is between 11 and 20.
Curry and company may not be the last to hear about titles. The beginning of the second part of their dynasty could be happening. The Golden State Warriors could have a similar comeback. The Warriors had a bigger gap between titles than the Spurs or the Pats. There are parallels between the Warriors titles.
The core of those teams are similar. The core of the San Antonio Spurs, Tim Duncan, TonyParker, andManuGinobli, were constant in three of their first four title wins in the 2010s, and they were still around for the title in the 2014s. The core of New England was Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. The constant for 20 years and six Super Bowl victories were the two moving parts.
This is probably the most important run for Curry's legacy. If he can lead the Warriors back to the mountaintop after the entire league wrote them off as washed, and win his first FinalsMVP, that will make him the NBA's top 10 all-time.
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