Why Marc Stein stands by not voting Steph Curry 2015 NBA Finals MVP

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Andre Iguodala was named MVP of the 2015 NBA Finals.

The former Warriors forward received seven of the 11 votes, with LeBron James earning the other four.

So yes, that means Steph Curry didn't get a single vote.

When asked in a recent mailbag if Steph deserved the award, Marc Stein of The New York Times -- who voted for Iguodala -- doubled down on his selection.

"I stand by my vote unequivocally," Stein wrote. "Iguodala was a hugely deserving pick who played (by far) Golden State’s most effective defense against (LeBron) James at the height of his powers, while also averaging a critical 16.3 points, 5.8 rebounds and four assists.

"Iguodala was a series-changing force at both ends.The Warriors, remember, lost two of the first three games of those finals to a short-handed Cavaliers team. There was grave concern in the Golden State camp that Cleveland, even without the injured Kevin Love and having lost Kyrie Irving after Game 1, had seized control of the series.

"They were borderline reeling until Iguodala was moved into the starting lineup for Game 4."

Was Iguodala a worthy MVP? No doubt about it. In no way, shape or form is yours truly saying he shouldn't have taken home the hardware.

But having said that, the truth is that Curry's presence and gravity opened things up in a big way:

Steph's performance in Game 2, without question, hurt his standing among the voters.

And it's not like the two-time NBA MVP didn't have any big moments. With the series tied at two games apiece, he racked up 37 points (17 in the fourth quarter) in a pivotal Game 5 victory for the Warriors at Oracle Arena.

Steph is a three-time NBA champion, but doesn't have a Finals MVP on his resume. If he finishes his career without one, some fans/media members, basketball pundits, etc. will knock his "legacy."

But as Micah Adams wrote for "NBA Canada" last week: "Saying that Stephen Curry's brilliance allowed for Andre Iguodala to win Finals MVP might be the perfect way of articulating his understated yet oversized impact."

Well said.

We will leave you with this:

That's more important than a Finals MVP, right?

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