Among the most incandescent players in the league, Stephen Curry has perhaps never been so hot in his career as on January 3, 2021. It is for this reason that his brother-in-law, Damion Lee, had to cool him with a bottle of water.
Two years ago, therefore, the leader of the Warriors thus took advantage of the arrival of the Blazers in California to establish his new career points record. Or rather explode it, since its previous was “only” 54 points (February 2013, in New York) and that it planted… 62 against Portland!
In just 36 minutes, Stephen Curry had converted 18 of his 31 shots, 8 of his 16 3-pointers and 18 of his 19 free throws. Leaving all his defenders speechless and helpless: from Damian Lillard to Robert Covington, via CJ McCollum, Gary Trent Jr. or even Anfernee Simons…
” It was crazy “, marveled afterwards his young teammate, James Wiseman. ” It reminded me of NBA 2K, because I was playing with it [Stephen] Curry all the time and I used to stick 60 points with him. So being able to see that live is phenomenal. It’s a legend. »
The champion’s answer
A real offensive display, which came two days after Golden State players were slapped by the same opponent and some observers began to doubt the double MVP’s ability to take his team to the playoffs (which he didn’t, admittedly, failed to do, since the Grizzlies emerged victorious from the “play-in”).
Visibly annoyed and irritated by these criticisms, which he took personally, Stephen Curry therefore decided to vent his nerves on the poor Blazers.
Aggressive towards the circle and as always unstoppable behind the arc, the All-Star point guard started the game on a high, scoring 21 points in the first quarter alone! He then calmed down somewhat in the second act, nevertheless continuing to martyr Portland, from far and near, in order to return to the locker room with (already) 31 units on the clock and a comfortable lead (66-54).
After the break, the “Baby-Faced Assassin” then managed two quarters of the same ilk to close the deal, scoring 14 and then 17 points in each. With 3-pointers that continued to rain, shots that continued to thread like pearls and hoops in the paint that continued to line up.
“It was simply a brilliant performance”summed up his coach, Steve Kerr. “We’ve seen so many incredible things from him in recent years… It’s a privilege to coach him, seriously. Not just for his talent, but also for the way he runs things. This franchise is lucky to have Stephen [Curry] to climb the track. »
The “Chef” delighted
It was, in any case, far too much for Portland, forced to surrender over time in front of the recital offered by the triple NBA champion (quadruple, now), who however regretted the absence of the public in the stands of the Chase Center.
Often cut off in his tracks in the past, given that the Warriors were well ahead on the scoreboard and that Steve Kerr preferred to save it, Stephen Curry this time was able to go to the end of this meeting. And the result was, to say the least, spicy for the Blazers…
From his sixth game of the season, and after an almost blank year, the career 3-point basket record holder took the opportunity to announce to the rest of the league that he was going to chain the scoring cards, during of this 2020/21 campaign which he would finish as top scorer, with 32 points on average…
| Stephen Curry | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2009-10 | GOS | 80 | 36 | 46.2 | 43.7 | 88.5 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 5.9 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 17.5 |
| 2010-11 | GOS | 74 | 34 | 48.0 | 44.2 | 93.4 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 5.8 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 18.6 |
| 2011-12 | GOS | 26 | 28 | 49.0 | 45.5 | 80.9 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 5.3 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 14.7 |
| 2012-13 | GOS | 78 | 38 | 45.1 | 45.3 | 90.0 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 6.9 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 22.9 |
| 2013-14 | GOS | 78 | 37 | 47.1 | 42.4 | 88.5 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 8.5 | 2.5 | 1.6 | 3.8 | 0.2 | 24.0 |
| 2014-15 ★ | GOS | 80 | 33 | 48.7 | 44.3 | 91.4 | 0.7 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 7.7 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 23.8 |
| 2015-16 ★ | GOS | 79 | 34 | 50.4 | 45.4 | 90.8 | 0.9 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 6.7 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 3.3 | 0.2 | 30.1 |
| 2016-17 | GOS | 79 | 33 | 46.8 | 41.1 | 89.8 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 6.6 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 25.3 |
| 2017-18 | GOS | 51 | 32 | 49.5 | 42.3 | 92.1 | 0.7 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 6.1 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 26.4 |
| 2018-19 | GOS | 69 | 34 | 47.2 | 43.7 | 91.6 | 0.7 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 0.4 | 27.3 |
| 2019-20 | GOS | 5 | 28 | 40.2 | 24.5 | 100.0 | 0.8 | 4.4 | 5.2 | 6.6 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 20.8 |
| 2020-21 | GOS | 63 | 34 | 48.2 | 42.1 | 91.6 | 0.5 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 1.9 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 0.1 | 32.0 |
| 2021-22 | GOS | 64 | 35 | 43.7 | 38.0 | 92.3 | 0.5 | 4.7 | 5.2 | 6.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 25.5 |
| 2022-23 | GOS | 26 | 34 | 50.0 | 43.4 | 91.9 | 0.6 | 6.0 | 6.6 | 6.8 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 30.0 |
| Total | 852 | 34 | 47.4 | 42.8 | 90.9 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 4.7 | 6.5 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 24.5 | |
