Curry dazzles for 51 points
OAKLAND, Calif.—Stephen Curry appreciated the freedom from coach Steve Kerr to shoot from wherever he darn well pleased, 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 offseasons.
His body is fully healthy and recovered after the Golden State superstar played only 51 regular-season 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 night’s 144-122 win against the Wizards playing only three quarters. He scored 18 straight for the Warriors during one stretch.
“It was a joy to be on the same court with that, that was sick,” Kevin Durant said
“That boy good!” teammate Shaun Livingston tweeted immediately after the game.
His teammates notice Curry’s purpose when he takes the floor each day, whether practice or a game.
“Just to be great, it’s that simple,” Klay Thompson said earlier Wednesday. “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,” Kerr said. “… Steph has a joy about him that I think everyone in the building can see and feel, so he brings that and I think you talk about wanting people to have a balanced life and how powerful that can be. I think he’s a prime example of that.”
Curry scored 31 in the first half, finished with his sixth career 50-point game and made 10 or more 3s for the 10th time. The 51 points matched his most at Oracle Arena.
He hit his first five 3-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, 11 of 16 from 3-point range and made all 10 free throws, missing his career high of 54 set in February 2013 by three points.