For the early part of the 2021-22 NBA season, Steph Curry was the frontrunner to win his third MVP award.
But the NBA season is full of ebbs and flows, and Curry wasn't able to keep up the pace he had in October, November and December.
After the New Year, Curry tailed off before getting hurt on March 16 and missing the final month of the regular season.
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All of that resulted in an eighth-place finish for Curry in the 2021-22 MVP voting, which the NBA released Wednesday. Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic won his second straight MVP, beating out Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Curry, who won back-to-back MVPs in 2014-15 and 2015-16, received just four fifth-place votes this year. Jokic, Embiid, Antetokounmpo, Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum and Ja Morant finished ahead of Curry.
Here's where Curry has finished in MVP voting during his career:
- 2012-13 (11th)
- 2013-14 (6th)
- 2014-15 (1st)
- 2015-16 (1st)
- 2016-17 (6th)
- 2017-18 (10th)
- 2018-19 (5th)
- 2020-21 (3rd)
- 2021-22 (8th)
After leading the league in scoring last year at 32.0 points per game, Curry's per game average fell to 25.5 this season, well behind Embiid's league-leading 30.6.
Golden State Warriors
Aside from the 2019-20 season when Curry played just five games due to a left wrist injury, Curry had the worst shooting season of his career. His 43.7 field goal percentage and 38.0 3-point percentage are the lowest of his Hall of Fame career in a full season.
Despite the statistical slide over the second half, Curry still had a noteworthy season as he became the NBA's all-time leader in 3-pointers on Dec. 14 in the Warriors' win over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Voted into his eighth NBA All-Star Game, Curry put on a show for the fans in Cleveland, dropping a staggering 50 points and making 16 3-pointers to take home the Kobe Bryant MVP award.
On March 10 against the Nuggets, Curry reached 20,000 career points, becoming the 49th player in NBA history to achieve the feat.
While Curry would have liked to win a third MVP award, his main priority is leading the Warriors to another NBA championship. Golden State knocked out Jokic and the Nuggets in the first round of the NBA playoffs and they are looking to eliminate Morant and the Grizzlies at FedExForum on Wednesday night.