Curry leaves coach speechless; teammates pick up the slack

Warriors coach Steve Kerr says he has exhausted his reservoir of adjectives for Stephen Curry.

“I have run out of ways to describe Steph’s play,” Kerr said Sunday night, “so I am just going to stop trying.”

Some of Curry’s teammates gave it a try after he scored 37 points — that’s 13 times in 14 games that Curry has broken 30 — in a 117-113 victory over Sacramento at Chase Center.

“Incredible, man,” said Draymond Green.

“An unreal human being,” said Juan ToscanoAnderson.

By the standard he has set this month, averaging 38.1 points in April, it was a subpar performance for the two-time MVP. It was a mixed-bag performance.

Curry made seven 3-point baskets (in 14 tries) but he also had seven turnovers, one fewer than his season-worst. And he missed three free throws, the first time that has happened in a game since Dec. 29, 2018.

Curry made eight free throws, including four that accounted for all of his points in the fourth quarter, as the Warriors (31-30) scrambled to hold off a Sacramento team (24-35) that was playing without leading scorer De’Andre Fox.

Kerr did find words for Green, who delivered with eight points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists.

Green, as of Monday, is the No. 3 assist man in the NBA, with 8.8 per game, tied with Luka Doncic. Only Trae Young (9.6) and Russell Westbrook (10.9) were ahead of him as of

Monday morning.

“I thought Draymond really carried us in a lot of ways,” Kerr said. “No disrespect to Steph, who had 37 points . . . he kind of does that every night. To me, this game felt like Draymond’s game.”

Mychal Mulder, starting at guard again in place of super-sub Kelly Oubre Jr., said Green’s play at both ends of the floor fuels the team.

“His leadership, his ability to dictate the defense as well as the offense,” said Mulder, who scored 13 points, including three 3-point baskets, in his seventh career start. “Defensively he blows up so many plays. And on the offensive end, he makes it so easy. He puts us in position to succeed offensively. It translates to a lot of confidence on both ends.”

Green said he began the season playing “trash,” but never lost confidence in his ability to share the basketball. He was unaware that he ranked among the top assist men in the league.

“It doesn’t shock me because I think I’m one of the best passers in the NBA,” he said.

Still, Green threw it back to Curry, who broke the 30-point barrier for the 30th time this season and also broke another three-point record along the way. A 36-foot bottom-of-the-net bomb just before halftime was Curry’s 83rd 3-point basket in April, breaking James Harden’s record of 82 in a month (November, 2019).

Curry acknowledges he’s on a roll unlike any he has experienced in a career that includes two MVPs, three championships, a scoring title, and eight All-Star games.

Asked what he thinks about when he’s shooting, Curry said: “When you’re in this kind of rhythm, nothing. That’s the best way to explain it. You try to get a decent look, get your feet under you and the rest is muscle memory, confidence and just creativity.

“When you’re in a flow and a rhythm, there’s not much going on upstairs. It’s nice.”

Green suggested that the rim is the size of the ocean for Curry right now. Curry didn’t quite agree. “I’ll go with the size of Lake Merritt,” he joked.