Steph Curry is closing in on his first NBA Finals MVP award after yet another legacy-defining performance.
The eight-time All-Star singlehandedly sealed the Golden State Warriors’ Game 4 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday evening by hitting eight free throws in the final 45.7 seconds. His clutch shooting earned the Dubs a narrow 101-98 win and a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven semi final series.
It also gave his NBA Finals MVP odds a big boost, as Curry has moved all the way from +1,400 when the playoffs began to +275 on May 10 at BetMGM. He’s now in the pole position despite starting the postseason coming off the bench.
2022 NBA Finals MVP odds
| Player | Odds to win NBA Finals MVP |
|---|---|
| Steph Curry | +275 |
| Devin Booker | +450 |
| Jayson Tatum | +500 |
| Chris Paul | +600 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | +750 |
| Jimmy Butler | +1,100 |
| Joel Embiid | +1,600 |
| Jaylen Brown | +1,600 |
| Jordan Poole | +1,800 |
| Luka Doncic | +2,000 |
Odds courtesy of BetMGM, as of May 10, 2022.
From bench to boss
It’s been a postseason unlike any other for Curry, whose availability was initially in doubt after he missed the final 12 games of the regular season with a sprained ligament in his right foot. Steve Kerr brought the two-time MVP off the bench for Golden State’s first two games against the Denver Nuggets, but it did little to limit his effectiveness as he scored 16 points in 21 minutes in Game 1 and 34 points in 23 minutes in Game 2.
Those two performances gave Kerr the confidence to lift Curry’s minutes restriction, and he’s flourished ever since, averaging 29 points on 45% shooting over his past seven games. He ranks fifth among all postseason players in points per game and is first in 3-point attempts with 92. He’s also made a little history along the way by becoming the first NBA player to hit 500 career playoffs threes.
Steph Curry becomes the first player in NBA History with 500 career three-pointers made in the Playoffs! #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/P2HpyVdhbI
— NBA (@NBA) May 10, 2022
Curry has plenty of competition on his own team
Curry isn’t the only Warrior with noteworthy odds. Fellow teammates Jordan Poole, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are also in the running for the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award.
Poole began the playoffs as a +10,000 afterthought, but has seen his odds drop to +1,800 after a series of scintillating performances. The former G League guard has already led the Warriors in scoring twice in the 2022 postseason and is averaging 21.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in 33 minutes per game.
Love everything about this play, Jordan Poole is fun to watch.
— SLAM (@SLAMonline) May 8, 2022
(via @warriors) pic.twitter.com/PBbvUyESi8
Thompson and Green are more familiar names on the odds board after leading the Warriors to five-straight Finals from 2015-19. Thompson’s odds have remained steady at +2,500 as he’s provided stellar perimeter defense and dependable shotmaking on the wing. Green’s odds, meanwhile, have dropped from +5,000 to +2,500 thanks to his playmaking and ability to anchor Golden State’s D. The former Defensive Player of the Year leads the Warriors in assists (6.7) and blocks (1.3) and ranks second to Andrew Wiggins in rebounds (6.3).
The NBA Finals are scheduled to tip off on June 2. The NBA Finals MVP award will be announced moments after the deciding game of the league’s championship series.
