Stephen Curry making late All-Star push
Stephen Curry, who has had a relatively quiet first half, is making a strong push with his play on the court to earn an All-Star start.
Stephen Curry has represented the Golden State Warriors in the last three All-Star games. He’s been voted in as a starter in every single one of his appearances. He was second in the West in votes for the 2014 All-Star Game (behind Kevin Durant), first in total votes for the 2015 All-Star Game, and a close second in total votes (behind the retiring Kobe Bryant) for the 2016 All-Star Game.
In the first returns of this year’s voting, he led all Western guards in votes. He sat in fourth place overall, behind the Cavaliers’ LeBron James and Kyrie Irving and his own teammate, Durant. It came as a surprise to many considering the MVP race between two other guards, James Harden and Russell Westbrook.
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Curry has been criticized for being too passive this season. After being named the league’s first unanimous MVP, the superstar hasn’t performed at that level. Of course, this is due to the fact that he had one of the greatest season of all-time. That year was nearly impossible to replicate.
The Warriors’ guard was once everyone’s favorite rising star. Everyone fell in love with him and his ridiculous three-point shooting during his first MVP and title run. Then he reached the mountaintop last season and, while he was still extremely beloved, there were a lot of fans that wanted to see him fail.
The hype has died down. There’s Golden State fatigue and Curry’s Finals performance had simple minded people convinced that a seven game sample is more telling than a 180 game sample. While it seems like the Curry love has decreased, fans and media are eager to find the next great.
The Harden/Westbrook race is shaping up to be a fantastic one. They’ve dominated the conversation for the first half of the NBA season. Despite that, Curry still leads.
The Golden State guard has built himself a huge fanbase. Even during his down year, he’s producing at an elite rate. And even when the media isn’t showing his highlights 24/7 and pushing him as the main storyline, his fan base is so strong that he’s been able to get to the top with a slow start.
Curry was named the player of the week after two especially magnificent performances. He had 35 points and 40 points in back to back games. The ball was back in his hands and he reminded everyone that he’s still a magician.
With Westbrook and Harden right on his tail, Curry needed a big week. There are just days left in voting and that recent stellar play could be enough to put him over the top. He started attacking at the right time for his team and for his All-Star cause.