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Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry ranked as 4th best NBA Player

By Tony Pesta

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 27: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on April 27, 2021 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 27: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on April 27, 2021 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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In spite of leading the NBA in multiple metrics and looking like the best individual player in the association this season, Stephen Curry was ranked fourth by The Ringer and the Golden State Warriors‘ lack of wins is the root cause.

The Golden State Warriors’ lackluster season is why Stephen Curry was ranked outside of The Ringer’s top three NBA players.

The Ringer released their list of the top-25 players in the NBA. Co-written by multiple members of the staff, Curry was placed fourth in their order — with Nikola Jokic, LeBron James and Joel Embiid rounding out the top three.

The Ringers Top-10 Players:

  • Luka Doncic
  • Anthony Davis
  • James Harden
  • Giannis Antetokounmpo
  • Kawhi Leonard
  • Kevin Durant
  • Stephen Curry
  • Joel Embiid
  • LeBron James
  • Nikola Jokic

Kevin O’Connor took the honors of writing a brief excerpt about Curry’s incredible season, citing that he is nearly matching the production of his 2016 unanimous MVP run. Even so, the Warriors’ weak supporting cast has hindered the team’s ability to win games and this is likely why Curry is ranked behind Jokic, James and Embiid.

To break down the top-three, James is mostly there due to reputation and I can’t say I disagree. Although the Los Angeles Lakers are on the border of dropping into the Play-In and LBJ has missed numerous games — we have to acknowledge that once the playoffs start, James instantly becomes the most valuable player in the game.

Similarly, I can’t be too mad at Jokic being No. 1 on the list. He’s impacting the game from top to bottom, creating an unbelievable 58 points per game for the Denver Nuggets this season. He’s running away with the MVP as he rightfully should.

As for Joel Embiid, I’m not sure how he finishes above Curry on this list. Sure, Embiid has had an MVP caliber season of his own, posting a dominant stat line of 29.0 points, 10.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game as his two-way presence elevates Philly to the best record in the East.  But, he’s played 11 fewer games than Curry and his value on offense pales in comparison to Curry’s.

It’s fair to have Curry behind Jokic and James for this specific season alone. However, I’d argue Curry should easily be ahead of Embiid for the prolific way he has been spacing the floor and single-handedly carrying the Warriors to a 33-32 record with a far inferior supporting cast.

Above all else, I’d comfortably say if we are purely ranking the best players in the league, in general, Curry would stand in the same tier as James and Kevin Durant — with the rest of the NBA falling somewhere below. But, that’s another discussion for another day.

Next. Top 30 Warriors of all-time. dark

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