Steph Curry Completely Overshadowing Incredible Playoff Run by Draymond Green
By Jerry Trotta
It's begging to be said, so we're gonna spill it: Steph Curry is in the midst of the best playoff run of his exalted 10-year career.
With 37 points in Monday night's series-clinching Game 4 against the Trail Blazers, the two-time league MVP finished the Western Conference Finals averaging a career-high 36.5 points per game -- the most any player has averaged in a four-game sweep in NBA history.
Lost in the rubble of Steph's unrelenting, consequential postseason assault, however, has been the sheer dominance of his teammate, Draymond Green, who finished Game 4 with his second straight triple-double.
The Association doesn't present an MVP award for the conference finals, but if it did, Draymond would have a compelling case. For starters, his defense was as ferocious and ruthless as it was inspiring and efficient. But the three-time All-Star's often overlooked playmaking ability was at its peak against Portland, as he nearly averaged a triple-double with 16.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game.
To summarize his greatness since the Warriors' postseason run began on April 13, let's turn to Anthony Slater:
Wow. And he capped it all off by hitting the game-winning shot in overtime of Game 4 of the West finals, a three-pointer with the shot clock winding down that put Golden State up four over Portland with just 39 seconds remaining.
Steph will receive most of the plaudits, and rightfully so, but it would be flat-out erroneous not to put some major respect on Draymond's name. He's played his part to near-perfection thus far in the playoffs, and could very well have a case for Finals MVP before this season is officially in the books.