Steph Apparently really wanted a Finals MVP badly.

Despite spending just one season with the Golden State Warriors, Nick Young managed to win a title and, presumably, see an intense matchup between Steph Curry and Kevin Durant for the MVP award in the 2018 NBA Finals. The Warriors of 2017–18, which featured Durant, Young, and Curry, defeated LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals to win back-to-back championships. According to Young, Durant’s 2017 NBA Finals MVP victory meant that the two future Hall of Famers would have to contend for the trophy in 2018.

Then, even after winning, Young said that Curry’s difficult Game 3 left him “damn near tears” because he felt he had let the MVP title for the Finals slip from his grasp. Curry had won two championships at that point but did receive a Finals MVP. Curry scored 11 points in the Game 3 victory on only 3-of-16 shooting from the field. With 43 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists that evening, Durant lifted Golden State, and it was only a matter of time until he took home the individual award for the second consecutive year.

Steph Curry Allegedly Almost Cried Because Of Losing Finals MVP

“I remember they was neck and neck, KD [Durant] and Steph [Curry], then Steph had one bad game…KD was hitting. Locker room Steph, head was down [and] damn near tears after a win. Man, he wanted to win that [Finals MVP],” Young said. “KD was trying to give it to him, like KD won it a year before…[Durant] was trying to miss. [But] Steph couldn’t make a shot.” In their fourth and final meeting of the season, the Warriors defeated the LeBron James-led Cavaliers 4-0 in the 2018 series. The following year, after suffering an Achilles injury to Durant and an ACL injury to Klay Thompson, Steph Curry and the Warriors were unable to accomplish a three-peat after losing to the Toronto Raptors in six games.

When Curry earned his first ring in 2015, Andre Iguodala was named the NBA Finals MVP; however, the future Hall of Famer didn’t receive his ring until 2022, after Durant had left for another team. The future Hall of Famer averaged 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game while shooting 43.7 percent from outside the arc and 48.2 percent from the field to help Golden State defeat the Boston Celtics in six games. Curry had a four-to-two edge in rings over Durant and was, without a doubt, the NBA Finals MVP that year. Nevertheless, Young said that missing out on that 2018 award impacted Curry.