No one scored more in clutch moments last season than Steph Curry. That’s why he’s the 2023-24 Clutch Player of the Year.
Curry led the league in points scored in clutch situations, which the NBA defines as any time the score is within five points in the final five minutes. He had 189 points in the clutch, seven more than DeMar DeRozan and 60 points more than third-place Damian Lillard.
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry has won the 2023-24 NBA Clutch Player of the Year award. pic.twitter.com/lcnJ8p1zgQ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 25, 2024
Curry shot 45.7 from three-point range in the clutch, making 32 three-pointers when the next closest players made 13.
Perhaps his biggest clutch shot of the season was a deep game-winner against the Phoenix Suns.
Stephen Curry sealed the win against the Suns with this game-winner 🥶 pic.twitter.com/UbLfdsx6na
— NBA (@NBA) February 11, 2024
Winning the Jerry West trophy is small consolation for Curry, whose Warriors got bounced in a play-in game against the Sacramento Kings and last season’s Clutch Player of the Year, De’Aaron Fox.
But perhaps that’s an effect of relying on the official “clutch” stats. A player like Shai-Gilgeous Alexander shot 58.1 percent in the clutch, but he played 35 fewer clutch minutes than Curry. Essentially, he’s being punished for his team being so good they were often up more than five points late in games.
Still, dominating from deep in the clutch is a good argument for Curry’s win. However, compared to his two MVPs, his Finals MVP and his four rings, the Jerry West trophy might not end up at the front of Curry’s trophy cabinet.
