Taken For Granted

By: Mike Rifkin

On Sunday, in game seven of the first round of the Western Conference playoffs, Stephen Curry dropped 50 points in the Warriors’ 120-100 win over the Kings. The 50 points were the most ever by an individual player in a game seven in NBA history. The 50 points is another notch in the belt of a guy who is a four-time NBA Champion, two-time MVP, two-time scoring champion, and a Finals MVP. Do we take Curry’s greatness for granted?

Curry, the seventh overall pick in the 2009 draft by the Warriors, has played his entire career for them. Curry is the franchise leader in games, points, assists, steals, and three-point field goals. Curry has also led the organization to four championships throughout his career. 

Because of the greatness of players like LeBron James and Kevin Durant, we take Curry for granted. When Kevin Durant joined the Warriors, people debated on whose team it would be, but Curry made Durant’s transition more manageable. When Durant won back-to-back Finals MVPs, people were discussing if Curry’s legacy would change if he never won a Finals MVP. Curry’s legacy changed when he averaged 31.2 points per game, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists on his way to a Finals MVP last season. 

Steph also changed the game by way of the three-point shot. Now when you watch a game, you will see guys pulling up from 40 feet and launching threes; the first guy to do that was Curry. When Curry eventually calls it a career, it will be the end for one of the best players of All – Time. Steph’s legacy is that he brought a franchise back to relevancy and changed the game just like LeBron James. He deserves more love than he gets. It’s how we take Steph Curry’s greatness for granted.