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NBA Finals

2022 NBA Finals: Finally, Stephen Curry earns first Finals MVP award in unanimous vote

BOSTON — Pick the Steph Curry moment.

The 28-foot 3-pointer from the digitally imposed NBA Finals logo, giving the Warriors a 22-point lead in the third quarter.

The layup where he drove by Al Horford and gave the Celtics crowd a long stare.

The long embrace with his dad and former NBA player Dell Curry in the final seconds of Game 6 between Boston and Golden State.

Unofficially, it was Steph Curry Appreciation Night, and every basket from his first that gave him two points to his final two free throws that gave him 34 points – and the six 3-pointers in between – was a coronation.

Of the Warriors fourth championship in eight seasons after beating Boston 103-90 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

Of Curry’s first Finals MVP after averaging 31.2 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals and shooting 48.2% from the field and 43.7% on 3-pointers.

“Steph, I think he solidified himself today – not even today – just his career, as best point guard of all time,” longtime Warriors teammate Andrew Iguodala said.

Curry has his NBA Finals MVP trophy.

Finally.

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Missing out in 2015 when Iguodala won in a controversial ballot and in 2017 and 2018 when Kevin Durant won the award, Curry won the 2022 Finals MVP hands down.

There was no doubt this time. The player who revolutionized basketball with his shot obliterated the league’s best defense with outstanding offense

Curry had 34 points, seven assists and seven rebounds in Game 6.

“It's been a year and six days that I started the process of getting ready for this season,” Curry said. “It all paid off. Didn't know how it was going to happen. Didn't know what the environment was going to be like. You imagine what the emotions are going to be like, but it hits different.”

He was the unanimous selection from the Finals MVP voters. And this was not a pity vote or Finals MVP lifetime achievement award. He earned it in this series.

“So I'm happy for everybody, but I'm thrilled for Steph. To me this is his crowning achievement in what's already been an incredible career,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.

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Curry preferred to talk about the team and not his individual award. “It's special,” he said. “Just all the work that went into it, the faith and belief and everybody in that locker room that's getting to spray champagne around the locker room, everybody mattered in that process. So I'm just proud of everybody.

Kerr compared Curry to Hall of Famer and former San Antonio Spurs great Tim Duncan.

“Totally different players," Kerr said. "But from a humanity standpoint, talent standpoint, humility, confidence, this wonderful combination that just makes everybody want to win for him. And I'm obviously thrilled for everyone in that room, and a lot of people had a big hand in this, but I think the thing with Steph is, you know, without him, none of this happens.”

And whether it was necessary or not for Curry’s legacy to have a Finals MVP on his resume, he has it now, and that storyline is obsolete. Curry buried it with his shooting and scoring.

“When you look at a guy like Steph Curry, to have the season and the career that he's had, it is amazing. And to stamp that with a Finals MVP,” Warriors forward Draymond Green said. “I know he said it don't matter, and it doesn't matter in the sense of like, 'Oh, his legacy is not quite this unless he gets that.' Like, that's garbage.

“Still Steph Curry, still an all-time great. But to add that to your résumé as a competitor, you want that. For him, well-deserved. It's been a long time in the making. But he left no doubt, left no doubt, and he carried us, and we're here as champions.”

Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrates after beating the Celtics in Game 6 of the NBA Finals to win the NBA Championship at TD Garden.

Curry scored at least 30 points in four games, including a series-high 43 points in Game 4, the second-highest scoring output in his Finals career. His 43-point, 10-rebound performance made him just the fifth guard in Finals history to record at least 40 points and 10 rebounds, and he is the only second point guard to do it.

Curry’s scoring was necessary against the league’s best defense: 34 points in Game 1, 29 in Game 2, 31 in Game 3 and 43 in Game 4. When Curry wasn’t scoring at such a prolific rate — just 16 points in Game 5 — he had eight assists and two steals.

Curry, 34, is the face of the franchise — and might be the rare superstar in today’s NBA who spends his entire career with one team.

"A very important part of what we do here, and have from day one, is a setting of a certain culture," Warriors owner Joe Lacob told USA TODAY Sports at the start of the Finals. "That culture is based on some experiences that I have had, that (co-owner) Peter Guber has had, over many, many years in business. It translates to the business of basketball. That culture involves revolves around a certain type of people being in your organization that are committed, that are really good people, that will train really super hard. They don't let off their foot off the gas. That care about the community. Just so many factors that are important about the culture here.

"Steph is the ultimate culture guy. We recognized that way early on. We're very fortunate."

Follow Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt.

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