Curry’s ‘sick’ onslaught sign of more to come?
OAKLAND, CALIF. Stephen Curry appreciated the freedom from coach Steve Kerr to shoot from wherever he darn well pleased with no distance off limits. On this night, Curry could get away with anything. He was feeling it. “It is nice to turn around and not hear your coach on the sideline chewing you out,” Curry said. “I’d like to say I deserve that little wiggle room there for sure.” Even with another post-championship, whirlwind summer that included welcoming a son, more golf tournaments and travel, Curry considered it among his best and most productive off-seasons. His body is fully healthy and recovered after the Golden State superstar played only 51 regularseason games during the latest championship run because of injuries. Through five games, Curry is as dominant as ever — as evidenced in a spectacular 51-point performance in Wednesday’s 144-122 win against the Wizards despite playing only three quarters. He scored 18 straight for the Warriors during one stretch. “That was sick,” Kevin Durant said His teammates notice Curry’s purpose when he takes the floor each day, whether in practice or a game. “Just to be great, it’s that simple,” Klay Thompson said. “He’s never satisfied. We saw that after the first year he won MVP. He came back even better and had an historic season. And nothing’s changed since four years ago or since he got in the league. That’s what makes him so great is his humility and his ability to just keep working.” The Warriors are practically spoiled by the brilliance of No. 30, as great as ever at age 30 and in his 10th NBA season. Kerr insists Curry is stronger than ever and “at his physical and mental peak. “He’s got a great life, doesn’t he?” Kerr said. “I just think that part of what makes Steph great is who he is as a person and what his life is about. He loves life. He takes so much joy out of every single day.” Curry scored 31 in the first half, finished with his sixth career 50-point game and made 10 or more threes for the 10th time. The 51 points matched his most at Oracle Arena. He hit his first five three-pointers and had the ninth 30-point half of his career, drawing “MVP!” chants all evening long from an adoring home crowd. Curry shot 15-for-24 overall and 11-for-16 from three-point range, while making all 10 free throws, missing his career high by three points. “Some of the shots that he was making, you don’t see that,” Wizards coach Scott Brooks said. “He’s a special player, a special scorer, a special shooter. He’s taking 35-foot shots; it’s hard to double team a guy who’s that far out and he makes them like they’re layups. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Kerr and Brooks each considered Curry “video-game” good. “We are kind of used to it with Steph,” Kerr said before Curry’s latest brilliance. “He’s just so consistent and so lethal.” How scary is it to think Curry can elevate his game to another level? “Not for me,” Draymond Green said. “For other people it may be scary. It’s exciting to me. He’s been real locked in. “Everything’s been laser focused, whether it’s him starting in the games, in practice, or getting his work in in the weight room, he’s been locked in.”