2016 MVP Vote Runner-Up: Alongside Curry’s Unanimous Season
In 2015-16, Stephen Curry had an epic season, becoming the NBA's first unanimous regular-season MVP. Right behind him on that ballot was Draymond Green.
That Warriors team went 73-9, breaking the Bulls' 72-win record. Curry was the absolute core, but Green's rise was equally key: his first All-Star nod, near-triple-double averages, and top-tier defensive voting (he would win DPOY the next year).
Finishing second in MVP voting was special for Green. It meant the league recognized: Golden State's success rested not only on Curry's threes but also on the system this second-rounder held up with defense and playmaking. He was the "second engine" of that 73-win team.
That season had many Green highs: multiple triple-doubles, all-around games, and "near-five-by-five" stat lines showing his versatility. He could post a scoring-rebound-assist-steal-block night that looked like a five-by-five.
Of course 2016 was also bitter for Green: up 3-1 in the Finals, he was suspended for Game 5 after kicking LeBron James in the groin, a turning point in the comeback loss. But the regular-season MVP runner-up already proved his value was seen.
From pick 35 to MVP vote runner-up, Green climbed the steepest curve in four years.
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