Sports Illustrated's 10 best stories from Stephen Curry's MVP season
From start to finish, Stephen Curry's MVP season was as entertaining as it was impressive. In honor of the Warriors star winning the league's most prestigious honor, SI.com takes a look back at its 10 best stories from Curry's 2014-15 MVP campaign, along with some of his most memorable highlights.
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The NBA's impossibly good MVP
Stephen Curry: Paying homage to the NBA's impossibly good 2014-15 MVP
You shouldn't be able to do the things Stephen Curry does on the hardwood, particularly with the ease the Warriors star executes them with. In honor of Curry taking home MVP, Rob Mahoney examines the impossible talents of the league's best player and the impossible heights he's helped Golden State reach. There's no bigger nightmare than a matchup with Curry, who has the ability (and green light) to pull up from anywhere with uncanny proficiency. READ MORE
By the numbers: Stephen Curry, MVP
Stephen Curry wins MVP: Visualizing Warriors star's 2014-15 campaign
It wasn't easy fending off James Harden and LeBron James in one of the most heated MVP races in recent memory. In honor of Stephen Curry's MVP award, Ben Leibowitz takes a deep dive into Curry's remarkable campaign with a visualization of his all-around dominance, including his three-point prowess and improved defensive impact. Curry also continues the historical trend of the best player on the best team usually picking up the hardware. READ MORE
Fine tuning: World's best shooter
Fine tuning: Coaching Stephen Curry, best shooter in the universe
What's it like to coach the best shooter in the universe? Rob Mahoney asks that question to Warriors coach Steve Kerr and assistant Bruce Fraser, who works with Curry on a day-to-day basis. “With the stuff he does, he challenges himself to get less rhythm and use harder cuts and more speed,” said Fraser. “He's always constantly pushing himself to make shots challenging so that when he gets in the game he's done that a lot.” READ MORE
Warriors' remarkable transformation
Warriors: From one-dimensional and one-and-done to NBA title favorites
How did Stephen Curry and the Warriors go from one-dimensional and one-and-done to NBA title favorites? Chris Ballard detailed their incredible transformation in SI magazine. How sudden and substantial has Golden State's turnaround been? Ballard writes: "Of the 15 players on the Golden State roster, it is strange to think that the 26-year-old Steph Curry is now the longest-tenured. Especially because he never should have been a Warrior." READ MORE
Anatomy of the insane
Anatomy of the insane: Closer look at Stephen Curry's game-tying three
The opening week of the 2015 NBA playoffs was missing the "oomph" factor until Curry chimed in during Game 3 against the Pelicans. Curry hit a corner three-pointer—in which he was absolutely clobbered—in the closing seconds over an outstretched Anthony Davis to cap a 20-point rally in the fourth quarter and send the game to OT. To give the incredible shot its true due, Ben Golliver breaks down the sequence moment-by-moment. READ MORE
Warriors' stunning start
Trends: Warriors off to stunning start thanks to NBA's most dominant lineup
A true MVP makes his teammates better. Curry was the star of the NBA's most dominant lineup this season. Back in December, Ben Golliver took a look at the Warriors' incredible start (then 14-2) to the 2014-15 season in his weekly Trends column. Golliver noted that the starting lineup of Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green and Andrew Bogut "has virtually lapped the field so far this season" boasting an incredible +28.7 net rating. READ MORE
Curry, Dubs win pressure test
Warriors answer latest pressure test by outdueling rival Clippers
Curry helped the Warriors survive a potential postseason preview against the Clippers last month, rallying from a 17-point deficit to top their Western rival. While questions have surrounded Golden State, newcomers to the title conversation, their win over L.A. further silenced those skeptics. Curry displayed both "electricity and grit," wrote Ben Golliver, and notched a highlight as good as any in 2014-15 with this crossover of Chris Paul.READ MORE
Stepping up for the youth
Steph Curry stepping up for the future of youth basketball
You won't find this listed on the Warriors star's long list of achivements this season—MVP, 67 wins, leading All-Star vote getter, etc.—but Curry sent the elevator back down in hopes of helping the next Stephen Curry reach the NBA. Curry helped launch a new app called CoachUp, which helps young players and basketball coaches link up over socially media. Said Curry: "...To have someone that's invested in your strengths and weaknesses individually really helped me get better every single year. I really appreciated that as I got back into AAU and from a recruiting standpoint and all that. It really helped me." READ MORE
Warriors overcome 'weird tension'
Warriors overcome 'weird tension,' lofty expectations to hold off Pelicans
Golden State rarely blinked during the season, but it struggled against the Pelicans in their playoff opener. Curry admitted there was a "weird tension" during the game, but it was nothing the MVP couldn't overcome. Wrote Ben Golliver: "After a month of playing relatively meaningless games because they were so far ahead of the pack, it was a reminder that the cruise control button has been disabled, and that there will probably no more fourth quarters in which Curry can sit back and watch his teammates finish off easy wins." READ MORE
Curry, Warriors expose Grizzlies
Stephen Curry, Warriors expose shorthanded Grizzlies in Game 1 rout
While the MVP trophy gives Curry a piece of hardware to remember 2014-15 by, his season won't be complete without an NBA title. Curry's Warriors took another step towards that goal with an important Game 1 win over the Grizzlies in the second round. "It would be hard to blame Curry and the Warriors if they started to think about all the good things that might lie ahead, both because of developments elsewhere in the West and because Memphis—and granted, it was only Game 1—looks like it might not keep them busy for long." READ MORE
Words can't do him justice
Some things just can't be expressed in written form. SI.com has gathered some of Curry's best highlights from 2014-15, which are simply beyond description. Sit back, relax and watch Curry dice through defenders, nail impossible shots and pull off the amazing.
• Curry splits four Clippers defenders, drains long three
• Curry's wild corner three to cap comeback vs. Pelicans
• Curry drops Paul to the floor before sinking jumper
• Curry sets up dunk with backward, no-look touch pass
• Curry's clutch three-pointer causes fan to lose her mind
• Curry drops season-high 51 points on the Mavericks
• Curry drains game-winning three to topple Magic
• Curry goes behind-the-back to set up Klay Thompson
• Curry skies for transition dunk against the Raptors
• Watch: Curry teaches SI writer the proper way to shoot
