‘Incredible’ Curry flips ‘switch,’ propels Warriors late against Nets

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry took the court two hours before kickoff against the Brooklyn Nets, about 45 minutes before his normal warmup slot.

He followed the exact same route: pointing into the stands with assistant coach Bruce Frasier, shooting from midfield and finishing with a soccer-inspired dribbling routine. But changing his timing was a big change. The one he thought was necessary.

“It was just about trying to get a little space before the game, a little more time to do well, and it paid off,” Curry said.

Curry propelled Golden State to a much-deserved 124-120 victory over the Nets, finishing with 37 points on 14-of-22 shooting, including 6-of-8 from three. He also surpassed the 3,500 3-point mark.

His most important sequence came several hours after his early warmup, about five minutes into the fourth quarter. On the verge of blowing another double-digit lead, Curry scored 10 points in a minute and 40 seconds, breathing life into a team that seemed to be losing its pulse.

“Steph had to carry this team, let’s be honest,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “And then the news about Draymond, he's been emotionally spent the last few days. And it started slowly tonight. Then, as he did so often, he flipped the switch. You can kind of see when it happens right away. And it was incredible.”

The Warriors took an 18-point lead in the first half – but slow starts haven't been this team's problem lately. It was the second quarter and the final minutes.

And it seemed headed for another bad spell in the third quarter. And even more in the fourth. The same issues were hurting Golden State – ill-advised fouls and sloppy turnovers, and it felt like Brooklyn couldn't miss a shot.

Cam Thomas finished with 41 points, his 6th 40-point game of 2023, tied for the second-most in a calendar year in Net history.

By the time Nets coach Jacque Vaughn called a timeout with 2:41 left in the third, they trailed by just four points. They outscored Golden State 35-25 during that span.

But three minutes into the fourth quarter, Curry had to stop the bleeding. And he did it.

Curry danced on Cam Thomas with 6:16 left. He went from outside the 3-point arc to inside and then outside, with Thomas trying to follow every move. With just enough space created, Curry launched a three.

About a minute later, Curry found himself with no one within three feet of him. So he started another one.

And 40 seconds later, he launched a third, forcing the Nets to call a timeout. In recent games, Curry has shown a lot more emotion than usual – kicking a chair in Phoenix, for example.

As he walked to the bench during Brooklyn's timeout, he chest-bumped Gary Payton II, as the two repeatedly yelled in each other's faces. But this explosion of emotion was positive.

This is what Golden State needed.

“[That sequence] gave us confidence,” Kerr said. “I think that's the biggest thing when you're struggling, maybe you're a little exhausted. We have to regain confidence. So I think Steph gives us confidence.”

Klay Thompson added: “He will lead us to victory. We appreciate him. Hopefully tomorrow we can help carry the load a little more. He was special tonight, just his ability to create shots and make shots from all over the court…I'm grateful for Steph's performance tonight.”

As Kerr and Thompson alluded to, Curry has carried a heavy burden for Golden State all season.

But against the Nets, Thompson provided some help, scoring 24 points on 7-of-9 shooting, including four 3-pointers. Thompson has scored 54 points in the last two games – since moving to the bench in Phoenix.

With Green suspended indefinitely, the Warriors desperately need Thompson to return to form, as Curry continues to look for consistent help.

“It's not just me. I can't win a game by myself,” Curry said. “I can play well and I have to play well. I know that. But I don't [play] the game by myself. There's definitely pressure and I live for those kinds of moments. But there are guys who have opportunities to progress… confidence starts to build. »