Curry still cooking at 33
Another scoring title for Warrior
Stephen Curry became the oldest scoring champion since Michael Jordan at age 35 in 1998, finishing with 46 points as the Golden State Warriors held off the Memphis Grizzlies 113-101 yesterday in a regular-season finale that determined the play-in tournament’s eighth and ninth spots.
The Warriors wrapped up the No 8 seed and will play Wednesday, while Memphis finish at No 9.
At 33, Curry and Jordan are the only scoring champions age 33 or older. Curry also joins Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abduljabbar as the only players with multiple scoring titles, MVPS and championships.
Two-time MVP Curry locked up his first scoring title since 2015-16 with his second basket of the game late in the first quarter. He made 9 of 22 3s and also contributed nine assists and seven rebounds in Golden State’s sixth straight win. Curry averaged 32 points during his second 2000-point season.
He had help, too.
Jordan Poole scored 15 off the bench and hit a go-ahead baseline 3 with 4m 28s remaining. Andrew Wiggins dunked off a miss by Curry from deep the next time down and scored 21.
Dillon Brooks started the fourth quarter on an 8-0 run all by himself to pull Memphis within 86-77 — and Curry immediately returned, hitting a 3 with 8m 23s to go.
“This is the best we’ve played all year,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
Curry, Draymond Green and Wiggins — who had played every game — sat out on Saturday against New Orleans to be fresh for yesterday’s game.
Both teams entered with identical 38-33 records and riding five-game winning streaks. They had split a back-to-back series on March 19-20 in Memphis.
It marked quite a special day for outgoing Warriors president Rick Welts, who is leaving the position after 10 years with the franchise. He led the construction plans for secondyear Chase Centre and will stay on in an advisory role. Kerr spoke on the court before tip-off, honouring all that former Seattle Supersonics ball boy Welts has done for the NBA and Warriors.
Curry missed his first four shots before making a layup with 3m 45s remaining in the opening quarter. He then hit a jumper the next time down to become scoring champion — drawing roars and a standing ovation.