Stephen Curry named NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is the second recipient of the NBA Clutch Player of the Year Award, the league announced Thursday.

Introduced last year, when Sacramento Kings guard De’Aaron Fox took home the Jerry West Trophy, the award honours the player “who best comes through for his teammates in the clutch,” according to the NBA.

Curry edged out Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan for the honour. Curry received 45 first-place votes (five points each), 18 second-place votes (three points) and 19 third-place votes (one point) for a total of 298 total points from a media voting panel. DeRozan finished with 272 points, including 34 first-place votes.

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Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander came in third with 160 points, including 11 first-place votes.

Curry led the league with 189 points in “clutch situations,” defined by the league as possessions in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the margin is five points or fewer. Curry shot 49.6 percent overall, 45.7 percent from 3-point range and 95.1 percent from the free-throw line in clutch situations.

The future Hall of Famer and two-time league MVP just completed his 15th NBA season having averaged 26.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 40.8 percent from deep. But the Warriors did not manage to advance out of the Western Conference play-in round.