Sequels are often associated with the movie industry, but Stephen Curry delivered a sequel of his own on Friday night, saving the Warriors in Sacramento.
Curry’s last appearance on the Golden 1 Center court was during Game 7 of the Warriors-Kings first-round NBA playoff series on April 30. He scored 50 points, single-handedly leading his team to a victory that crushed the Kings and their fans.
Curry gave Sacramento Part II on Friday night, and this performance was almost as impressive as the original.
While his teammates struggled, Curry took charge of the game at every critical moment to lead the Warriors to a 122-114 win.
“That dude never fails to amaze me, just like everyone else,” guard Moses Moody said on the postgame radio show.
Kings guard De’Aaron Fox was among those who couldn’t contain Curry.
“It’s almost impossible – unless you’re blocking his shot, which is hard to do,” Fox told reporters. “Once his shot starts going in, you just try to make it tough for him, get the ball out of his hands. But that’s a difficult thing to do, especially once he has it rolling.”
Curry’s game-high 41 points, shooting 14-of-19 from the field including 7-of-10 from beyond the arc, tell only part of the story. His timing was impeccable.
When no other Warrior scored more than seven points in the first half, Curry kept them in the game with 18 points. This allowed Golden State to take a 60-57 lead at halftime.
While Curry’s teammates contributed seven points in the first seven-plus minutes of the third quarter, he piled up 16. This gave the Warriors a 10-point lead with 4:52 remaining in the quarter.
And when the Kings made a fourth-quarter surge, Curry sealed the win with a three-pointer that gave the Warriors a 120-112 lead with 43.4 seconds left.
“I tell people all the time, I used to be the one that had to guard him,” Chris Paul said. “So, when (defenders) are out there and fouling and holding him, I’m telling (the refs) they’re fouling him.
“But he’s so unselfish. Plays the right way. And we needed it tonight.”
As the Warriors navigate the early weeks of the season, they will likely rely on Curry for more nights like this.
“We’re still learning, as you could see at the end of the game,” Paul said. “But we want to win and learn at the same time.”
There will be rough moments. Paul and Andrew Wiggins are still adjusting to the system, and Klay Thompson is working his way back to consistency. But until then, Curry will be the team’s rock.
“He puts the work in,” Moody said. “He amazes me in practice too. He’s always preparing to be great. I’m grateful to witness it day in and day out, not just in games.”
The rivalry between the Warriors and Kings continues to grow. While there is no real animosity, the competition is fierce, especially when the teams play in Sacramento.
Curry seems to thrive in this environment.
“They have great popcorn,” he said. “Shout out to them for making me feel good before the game. I have a big bucket right here. It makes me happy, so maybe that carries over to the court.”
Maybe. But Steph should be careful. The Golden 1 fans might catch wind of this and change the popcorn recipe.
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