CURRY FAVOR
STEPHEN A. Smith thinks Stephen Curry was the MVP of the Paris Olympics.
LeBron James, 39, claimed the award after inspiring Team USA to a fifth-straight men's basketball gold.
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But Smith thinks Curry, 36, should have got the nod after his decisive role in the win over France in the final.
“LeBron James was the MVP. He’s the one that ultimately captured MVP for the Olympics being named Olympics MVP,” Smith said on his YouTube channel.
“I thought Steph Curry deserved it, but under no circumstances am I throwing any shade on LeBron James for getting it because he was a model of consistency in these games.
"Steph Curry at this particular moment in time, he was already the Baby-Faced Assassin.
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"He's already a four-time champion, a two-time league MVP, the greatest shooter ever known to man.
"He was already that but then to come into this situation and to be shooting and playing poor - as Anthony Edwards articulated - he didn't show up until three days ago, but boy I'm glad he did.
"This brother shows up and he just put on a show nine three-pointers in one game, eight three-pointers in another four straight in the last 2:48, including that last one, behind the back stepping back over two dudes at least six ten or above and launching the three and then putting the bye-bye night night with Carmelo Anthony screaming courtside and Draymond Green egging him on.
"Let's go pounding the court, let's go like they do in Golden State. That Steph Curry showed up showed up and I can't say enough about it."
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Smith was keen to point out that he was a huge fan of basketball great James' performances.
“Rocking the grey beard, putting his age on display and experience, all in proper context, 39 going on 40, 21 seasons entering his 22nd year in the NBA,” he added.
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“Ladies and gentlemen, he still seemed better conditioned than practically everybody out there.
"He still seemed faster than some of the dudes out there. LeBron James is just phenomenal. Just phenomenal. Major mad love goes to him."
Former NBA star Stephon Marbury also thought Curry deserved to be crowned.
"They gave the MVP to the wrong player,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Maybe they called out the wrong name by accident.
"In international ball, if you can’t shoot, you can’t have the ball at the end of the game.
"I get LeBron is the king to many, but let me say this, when you give him what he doesn’t deserve, you basically say that because of what he’s done, he should receive such a high honor on the biggest stage. No, he didn’t earn it this time.”
Skip Bayless was another to criticize the decision.
“We do not beat France without Steph Curry,” he said.
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"17-26 threes in the semifinal and final, in games that invariably become 3-point shooting contests.
"I predicted he’d be our most important player. He obviously should’ve been most valuable.”