Stephen Curry from Golden State topped the league in scoring during intense moments this season, and he’s now earned another honor to showcase his achievements.
On Thursday night, Curry was named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year, adding this accolade to his impressive list of accomplishments, which includes two MVPs, an All-Star Game MVP, an NBA Finals MVP, a Western Conference Finals MVP, and nine All-NBA selections.
This award, named after Jerry West, holds special significance for Curry as West has been involved with the Warriors in the past.
During the announcement on TNT, Curry shared admiration for West’s passion for basketball and his relentless competitive spirit, which greatly influenced the Warriors organization during West’s time with them.
Curry was chosen as one of the three finalists alongside DeMar DeRozan from Chicago and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from Oklahoma City.
He led the league in clutch scoring, which refers to points scored in the final 5 minutes of fourth quarters or in overtime, with the game’s score difference being five points or fewer.
Curry accumulated 189 points in these crucial moments, seven more than DeRozan, while Gilgeous-Alexander secured the seventh spot with 112 points.
The voting for the Clutch Player of the Year was quite close. Curry received 45 first-place votes, totaling 298 points, while DeRozan secured 34 first-place votes and 272 points. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander accumulated 160 points.
Curry, a four-time champion, mentioned that he’s been closely following the playoffs and already thinking about what adjustments the Warriors need to make before the next season. Despite not making it to the postseason this year, he believes the team isn’t too far off and acknowledges the need for some changes to improve.
Reflecting on the loss, Curry emphasized the importance of self-assessment and identifying areas for improvement. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to figure things out during the offseason.
This award, named after the legendary Jerry West, was introduced last year, with De’Aaron Fox winning it. The selection process involved coaches nominating players, followed by a final decision made by a panel of 99 reporters and broadcasters who cover the NBA.
The ballots were submitted before the start of the play-in tournament, and only performances from the regular season were considered for the NBA awards.
Curry became the third player to receive an award from the NBA this week. He joined Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, who won Most Improved, and Minnesota’s Naz Reid, named Sixth Man.
The next award, for Coach of the Year, will be announced on Sunday. The contenders are Mark Daigneault from Oklahoma City, Chris Finch from Minnesota, and Jamahl Mosley from Orlando.
The league has not yet revealed the schedule for announcing the remaining individual awards. These include Rookie of the Year, with contenders like San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, and Charlotte’s Brandon Miller.
Also pending is Defensive Player of the Year, with candidates like Wembanyama, Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert, and Miami’s Bam Adebayo. Lastly, there’s the Most Valuable Player award, with nominees such as Denver’s Nikola Jokić, Dallas’ Luka Dončić, and Gilgeous-Alexander.
Furthermore, the All-NBA, All-Rookie, and All-Defensive teams are also yet to be announced.
