Why Steph Curry is the NBA MVP

In a season defined by memorable performances from a handful of worthy MVP candidates, unfortunate star injuries, and the perception of a wide open title chase, one player and one team rose above the rest.

With a silky smooth game predicated on grace rather than explosive power, the ability to get a makeable shot off from seemingly anywhere on the court, and a Vine-friendly handle that lends itself seamlessly to how we consume content in 2015, Stephen Curry was that player, helping his Golden State Warriors run away from the pack over the course of 82 games.

Curry's season contained plenty of NBA JAM-worthy "razzle-dazzle," yet his is no story of flash over substance.

His combination of all-time shooting, exceptional play-making and stout perimeter defense at the league's most loaded position - for the league's best defensive team - fused magically to produce a season more dominant than should be possible for a player of Curry's wiry frame in a game of behemoths.

With only two games remaining in his remarkable season, Curry is on track to join Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as the only players to average at least 24 points, seven assists and two steals on an Effective Field Goal Percentage better than 50 since steals were first recorded in 1973-74.

Considering Curry's ball dominance and shooting volume, his scoring efficiency, especially, was something to behold this season, entering territory only a handful of legends have trekked.

The list of players who have produced at least 1.2 points per individual possession in a season despite qualifiers including a Usage Rate above 29, 25-plus field-goal attempts per 100 possessions, and at least one made 3-pointer per game begins and ends with Larry Bird, Michael Jordan (3x), Dirk Nowitzki, LeBron James (2x) and Kevin Durant.

By the end of this week, that list will include Curry.

Oh, and he's already broken his own record for made threes in a single season.

But in the best MVP race in a quarter-century, Curry's coronation isn't as predetermined as you'd expect for a player posting such absurd figures on the league's vastly superior team.

Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis have kept their teams in the Western Conference playoff hunt with individual seasons that will go down among the best ever, statistically. LeBron James's Cleveland Cavaliers have played at a near 60-win pace when he's in the lineup, averaging 25, seven and six.

James Harden, the only candidate who can match Curry's wire-to-wire consistency without a notable absence from the lineup, has carried the Houston Rockets to a 55-win season despite a subpar supporting cast in Dwight Howard's absence.

Curry's base statistics, while impressive, aren't quite as otherworldy due to his 32.9 minutes per game, which would be the lowest MPG ever for an NBA MVP.

But that ties into both Curry's and the Warriors' dominance, and at the heart of the argument is this: one of the most dominant teams the league has ever seen has been outscored with Curry on the bench.

A team that has overwhelmed the Association like few since Michael Jordan's 72-win Chicago Bulls, performed nearly 16 points per 100 possessions better with Curry on the court.

Selecting Curry as NBA MVP isn't simply about handing the award to the best player on the best team. It's about awarding the honor of the Maurice Podoloff Trophy to a breathtaking player who makes an otherwise good team not just great, but historic.