Golden State Warriors: 5 takeaways from Game 3 vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

2. Durant winning MVP battle, but Curry at the center of it all

Irving is not a selfish player, but the result of his play style is the same. This, in contrast to Curry, is the No. 1 reason the Warriors are up 3-0 in this series.

Curry’s supreme unselfishness is at the heart of what makes the Warriors great. It’s what allowed Kerr to install an egalitarian offense the day he took over, even though he was replacing Curry’s beloved coach in Mark Jackson. It allowed Iguodala to win Finals MVP in 2015, or Thompson to take 17 threes in Game 6 against Oklahoma City last year. It allowed Curry to honestly tell Durant he wanted his help last summer, and for Durant to believe him. It allowed Durant to thrive early in the season, at Curry’s expense, and allowed Durant to step with confidence into the biggest shot of his career last night.

Another way in which Curry’s unselfishness is truly transcendent: He competes extremely hard in non-glory areas of the game, even when he isn’t getting his normal amount of shots. In Game 3, he had a game-high 13 rebounds. He also had two steals, including a magnificent strip of James in transition.

His commitment to the aforementioned off-ball switching was remarkable. Not only from a “this guy is working so hard” standpoint, but also from a “this guy is working so hard to get himself away from the play because he knows his teammates are better defenders and he just wants to win” standpoint.

Most superstars cannot admit their own flaws. Fewer can find ways, through that admission, to make those flaws strengths. Of all Curry’s otherworldly skills, his unselfishness is is greatest trait. It’s going to cost him Finals MVP this year, but, barring something extraordinary, it’s going to win him another championship.