Back to the wall, Stephen Curry always responds. This was the case in 2013 during his first playoffs. This is still the case in 2023, during this first round. Add to that the challenge of fetching a crucial away game and he turns into an alien.
The performance of this Game 7 is similar in many respects to that of last June at the TD Garden in Boston. 43 points in Game 4 and 34 in Game 6. In Sacramento, he did even better: 50 points at 20/38 on shots, 7 3-point shots, only 1 lost ball!
“Steph (Curry) loves playing in a hostile environment. Winning away in the playoffs is the best possible feeling.”
Green had turned purple but fan reactions from both franchises to Stephen Curry’s festivals were similar. Frustration first, admiration quickly behind. How else to react?
“Steph (Curry) loves playing in a hostile environment,” confirms Steve Kerr after the meeting. “Winning away in the playoffs is the best feeling possible. Once the disappointment of the defeat in Game 6 was evacuated, he immediately focused on the opportunity that Game 7 represented. And he responded by becoming the first player in history to score 50 points in a Game 7. It’s amazing. »
After Houston, Boston, Cleveland, Stephen Curry has therefore come to hang Sacramento on his hunting board. The Kings staff, which has several former Warriors in those ranks starting with Mike Brown, couldn’t do anything to slow him down. The Warriors star finished the series averaging 33.7 points on 49% shooting success.
He saved the best for last on the floor of the Golden 1 Center, with De’Aaron Fox, the “Clutch Player” of the year, in the front row and yet so helpless (5/19 on shots, 5 lost balls) . After a 20-point first half, including several shots from long range to strike fear into the minds of home fans and keep the Warriors in contact despite clumsiness from Klay Thompson and Jordan Poole, he drove home the point. with 30 points in the second half!
“From the start of the game you could see he wasn’t going to let us lose this game,” explains Kevon Looney, also exceptional in this match.
“Doing this for a decade is incredible”
After Game 6, Stephen Curry was visibly frustrated. Frustrated by the performance of his team but also by the insinuations that he was beginning to tire in the face of the young legs of the Kings. His response was scathing and after losing Game 6 at home by 19 points, the Warriors gave the Kings their own back, winning on their own floor by 20 points.
“He controlled the tempo of the game from start to finish. And to do what he did losing just one ball is huge.” describes Draymond Green. “When he’s 200% focused like today, there’s not a lot of defense that can slow him down. »
Contrary to what he had shown in Boston, he did not inveigh the crowd as much. He was focused on his masterpiece before finishing it with a lay-up then letting his rage to win explode before joining the bench with a ticket for the second round in his pocket.
“Doing this for a decade is amazing,” recalls Steve Kerr. “The energy it takes to fend off your new challengers year after year. You have to prepare, you have to win big games, year after year… for a decade. It’s really amazing to see. »
Interview in Sacramento.
| Stephen Curry | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | 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 | 56 | 35 | 49.3 | 42.7 | 91.5 | 0.7 | 5.4 | 6.1 | 6.3 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 29.4 |
| Total | 882 | 34 | 47.5 | 42.8 | 90.9 | 0.7 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 6.5 | 2.4 | 1.6 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 24.6 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
