Still think Curry is the best player in the league?

[PhoSita]

When he's healthy and playing like he did in the regular season this year,  I do think Curry is the best overall player.

That said, in the playoffs, I think LeBron has shown he's still the most dominant player in the league.  I think a big part of that is the fact that playing at a high level in the playoffs often means pushing through injuries and handling really intense, athletic defense.  Curry has struggled to deal with injuries and tougher defensive opponents in the playoffs, whereas LeBron has found ways to be the best guy on the floor even when his team is outmatched.

[celticsclay]

When he's healthy and playing like he did in the regular season this year,  I do think Curry is the best overall player.

That said, in the playoffs, I think LeBron has shown he's still the most dominant player in the league.  I think a big part of that is the fact that playing at a high level in the playoffs often means pushing through injuries and handling really intense, athletic defense.  Curry has struggled to deal with injuries and tougher defensive opponents in the playoffs, whereas LeBron has found ways to be the best guy on the floor even when his team is outmatched.

Do you think Curry should have been more time off by Kerr? It certainly seemed like he was rushed back both times he was hurt these playoffs.

[Moranis]

When he's healthy and playing like he did in the regular season this year,  I do think Curry is the best overall player.

That said, in the playoffs, I think LeBron has shown he's still the most dominant player in the league.  I think a big part of that is the fact that playing at a high level in the playoffs often means pushing through injuries and handling really intense, athletic defense.  Curry has struggled to deal with injuries and tougher defensive opponents in the playoffs, whereas LeBron has found ways to be the best guy on the floor even when his team is outmatched.

Curry is no where the defender James is though.  Curry isn't a bad defender, but he is not an elite defender.

James has been the best player in the world for almost a decade.  It still hasn't changed.  At some point in the future it will change, but right now it is James and frankly I don't think it is all that close.

[PhoSita]

Curry was easily the most valuable and dangerous overall player in the league during this regular seaosn.

He's not great on defense but he's solid and gets a lot of steals.

The playoffs this year were a different story. 

Bron has dominated in two straight Finals.  But he also takes it easy during the regular season.  I'm not sure that at 31+ he can play at that level night in and night out.  The playoffs are a different story with lots of rest between games.

So I think with this question you've got to divide it between regular season and playoffs.  Curry will lead you to the most regular season wins and get you homecourt throughout.

LeBron is the great equalizer. He almost always wins a game on the road and he is at his best when the game devolves into a slog and pure physical prowess combined with his amazing mind for the game trumps whatever skill, finesse, or team concepts the opponent can bring to the table.

[PhoSita]

When he's healthy and playing like he did in the regular season this year,  I do think Curry is the best overall player.

That said, in the playoffs, I think LeBron has shown he's still the most dominant player in the league.  I think a big part of that is the fact that playing at a high level in the playoffs often means pushing through injuries and handling really intense, athletic defense.  Curry has struggled to deal with injuries and tougher defensive opponents in the playoffs, whereas LeBron has found ways to be the best guy on the floor even when his team is outmatched.

Do you think Curry should have been more time off by Kerr? It certainly seemed like he was rushed back both times he was hurt these playoffs.

I don't think Curry was ever going to be 100% during these playoffs after that knee injury.  It is what it is.

Part of being a great playoff performer is dominating despite the fact that you're not physically 100%.

Curry couldn't do that and the Warriors were a significantly less dangerous team as a result.  Still a great defensive team but without Curry breaking the game with his prowess inside and out, they were fallible.

[A Future of Stevens]

I mean has anybody really thought that Curry is a better actual player than Lebron? Sure he puts up the stats and gets the MVPs, but LeBron is the one singular player who can change the face of the direction of the league on any given night.

On a side note, I still believe Durant is a better player than Curry. Curry has the better handle and passing ability, but Durant is a much better defender, and I still believe he is a better scorer. The guy is a 6'11 freak who can score from anywhere on the floor. He can shoot over anybody, or drive by the few people who are large enough to check him. When Lebron starts to decline (If he ever does lol) I think Durant will have a few years where he is the best player in the league before the young bloods are coming up.

[Donoghus]

Hold on, let me put on my sunglasses.  The hot takes here are scorching. 

Curry was the best player in the league this year.  Confirmed by an MVP.  Lebron was the best player in these Finals.  Confirmed by a Finals MVP. 

Outside of your own personal projections, I don't see how anyone can definitively say what Lillard would or would not do.  But to put him in the same conversation as Curry after the season that Curry had?  Based on the past couple of Finals games? C'mon.  That's textbook recency bias if not just plain personal bias.

Steph was never the best player, he did have the best season and deserved the MVP, there is a difference.

Curry played basketball at a higher level this season than Lebron did. Whole picture.  Obviously, Lebron played better than Steph in the Finals but for people to suddenly act dismissive of Curry's season now because of a 2-3 game stretch at the end of the playoffs is pretty asinine.

Would I take Curry over Lebron building a team?  Probably not.  Long run, who is going to go down as the better player?  Lebron.   This season, between the two, who was the best?  Steph.

 

[dannyboy35]

In my opinion Lebron deserved the last two Mvps and also deserved it instead of Durant. He's the best player and most valuable to his team. I don't even like him and I found Curry the most fun player in the league to watch but the Mvps going to the wrong guy in my opinion, had me rooting for the cavs hard. Plus, I just like going for the underdog.

[Moranis]

Curry was easily the most valuable and dangerous overall player in the league during this regular seaosn.

He's not great on defense but he's solid and gets a lot of steals.

The playoffs this year were a different story. 

Bron has dominated in two straight Finals.  But he also takes it easy during the regular season.  I'm not sure that at 31+ he can play at that level night in and night out.  The playoffs are a different story with lots of rest between games.

So I think with this question you've got to divide it between regular season and playoffs.  Curry will lead you to the most regular season wins and get you homecourt throughout.

LeBron is the great equalizer. He almost always wins a game on the road and he is at his best when the game devolves into a slog and pure physical prowess combined with his amazing mind for the game trumps whatever skill, finesse, or team concepts the opponent can bring to the table.

I've said numerous times Curry had the best regular season, deserved the MVP, and that I would have in fact voted for him for MVP, but that James is the better player and has been all season long.  I mean was Karl Malone better than Michael Jordan in 1996/97.  The MVP is not an award that is given to the best player in the league, it is given to the player that is the most valuable, which most people translate to the player that had the best season on one of the best teams.

[Endless Paradise]

LeBron, Durant, Steph, in that order and it's how I've felt all year.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

Two years now where Stephen Curry has been the best regular season player. Two years he reached the finals and has been sub-par (if we're judging on MVP standards).

Is he basketball's Peyton Manning?

[Tr1boy]

LeBron, Durant, Steph, in that order and it's how I've felt all year.

You can't forget Leonard and Draymond Green

Curry might be GSW best player but Green imo is more important

He played one heck of a game last night. What a defender.  Rarely you see a guy backpeddle , try to poke the ball away (cleanly too) and then try to block the shot against Lebron

One of the biggest draft steals and one of the top players in the NBA. No doubt.

[mahcus smaht]

Two years now where Stephen Curry has been the best regular season player. Two years he reached the finals and has been sub-par (if we're judging on MVP standards).

Is he basketball's Peyton Manning?

not a bad comp.

[Vermont Green]

Curry played better during the regular season and was probably not 100% for the playoffs.  He will never be as durable as LeBron or as able to deal with injuries.

CLE was able to put a team out there where they could switch every pick.  Many times Thompson ended up on Curry but Curry just couldn't muster quite enough to exploit it.  Advantage Cavs.

Curry deserved the finals MVP last season in my opinion but LeBron has been the best player on the court both times.  I hope we get a LeBron-Durant final next season (or a Durant on Boston-LeBron ECF  )

[Yoki_IsTheName]

LeBron, Durant, Steph, in that order and it's how I've felt all year.

You can't forget Leonard and Draymond Green

Curry might be GSW best player but Green imo is more important

He played one heck of a game last night. What a defender.  Rarely you see a guy backpeddle , try to poke the ball away (cleanly too) and then try to block the shot against Lebron

One of the biggest draft steals and one of the top players in the NBA. No doubt.

Completely agree.

Steph Curry, as far as talent is the best player on this Golden State squad, but this is Draymond Green's team.

He's the heart and soul that connects everything together for this Warriors squad, and last night's game, albeit coming from a loss, shows how much of an alpha he can really be when he puts his mind into it.

I hope that game is a turning point for him to ascend to an another level. He's the alpha dog of the Warriors, and if he played every game like he is, I think the Dubs would be even better.