"Does he need it to validate his legacy? No!" - Nick Wright believes Steph Curry's legacy is "cemented" despite no Finals MVPs

Steph Curry with the first Earvin "Magic" Johnson Westen Conference finals MVP award.

All eyes will be on Steph Curry. He is set to make his sixth appearance in the NBA Finals for the Golden State Warriors, facing off against the Boston Celtics.

Steph Curry featured in five consecutive NBA Finals from 2015 to 2019. He is back to the most competitive stage again after missing the playoffs over the last two seasons. He has bounced back with authority, averaging 25.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 6.2 assists so far in the post-season.

"Steph's legacy is cemented. ... When we're talking the 15-20 greatest players in NBA history every single one of them that played post-Finals MVP existing has one, except for Dr. J. Would Steph's résumé look odd if he has 4 rings & no Finals MVPs? I think so." — @getnickwright https://t.co/eI86qttfiE

The NBA Finals is a stage that comes with a high-level of expectations. Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors have a pretty good record, winning the championship in three of his five appearances.

However, Nick Wright of “First Things First” believes Curry was good, but did not do anything out of the ordinary, as he said:

“Steph has been to five finals. He has only been bad in one of them – in 2016 he was bad.

“Every other year he’s been good-ish. He’s had some bad moments, and some good moments. But there isn’t a single finals where you’re like – ‘Wow! Steph really elevated his game.’”

The eye-test says that Steph Curry is the most important piece in the Warriors’ system. However, in a system that promotes selflessness, it is tough for one particular guy to stand out.

But then again, the criteria that plays a big role in deciding the legacy of a player in the NBA Finals is whether his contributions stand out. The guy who clearly led his team to a victory has most often been named Finals MVP.

Nick Wright stated:

“When we’re talking about pantheon guys, the 15 greatest or even the 20 greatest players in league history – every single one of them that played post Finals MVP existing, has one. Except for Dr. J, and it’s a little unfair to Dr. J cause he won the ABA equivalent two times.

“So, does he [Steph] need it to validate his legacy? No! Would his resume look awful odd, if he has four rings and zero Finals MVPs? Yeah, it would.”

Steph Curry has been the best player for the Warriors in the 2022 NBA Playoffs

There are no doubts about the effect Steph Curry has on the Warriors’ roster. His quick release and ability to create buckets through the narrowest of gaps makes him a big problem for opponents. Curry has scored 30 points or more seven times in the playoffs so far, often taking over games with consistent scoring runs.

Even during the regular season, Curry’s offensive ability is what helped the Warriors finish with a 64.6% winning record. He missed 18 regular-season games, and the Warriors went 8-10 during that stretch, indicating just how important he’s been for the organization.

A first of its kind for a one of a kind.

🏆 Western Conference Finals MVP: @StephenCurry30 🏆 https://t.co/VtFXErokIT

With the Warriors now in the Finals, Nick Wright believes Curry would be the undisputed Finals MVP if Steve Kerr’s unit comes out on top. He said:

“America, if you’re going to bet the Warriors to win the Finals – they’re (-160) – just bet Steph to win Finals MVP. There is no scenario that exists in the world where the Warriors win the finals and Steph’s not Finals MVP.”

However, the Celtics have had a tougher path to the finals compared to that of the Warriors. The Celtics have proven that they’re capable of defeating teams with superstar talent. The Celtics will thrive at the opportunity to play against the experienced Golden State Warriors.