Back on Mar. 17, the two-time league MVP
and perennial All-Star floor general of the Golden State Warriors took a hard
fall, bruising his tailbone and missing the next five games. Without their lead
guard on the floor, the Warriors compiled a 1-4 mark. He more than made up for
lost time by authoring one of the best scoring runs in NBA history for a player
in their early 30s, while making some team history along the way.
Beginning with a 32-point performance,
with five rebounds and six assists on 11 for 24 from the field, including 6 for
14 from three-point range, Golden State Warriors guard Wardell Stephen “Steph”
Curry II began a prolific scoring streak where he registered 11 consecutive
games scoring 30-plus points, the longest such streak in NBA history by a
player age 33 for older, surpassing the late future Hall of Famer and five-time
NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant, who did it for 10
straight games in 2012. Hall of Famer and six-time NBA champion with the
Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan scored 30 or more at age 33 or older seven
consecutive games during the 1995-96 and 1996-97 season.
To put what Curry, a seven-time All-Star
selection did into context, he tied Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady for the third
longest streak of scoring 32-plus points since 1983-84 season at 11 consecutive
games, and tied Jordan and fellow Hall of Famer, 4-time NBA champion and
current NBATV/NBA on TNT studio analyst Shaquille O’Neal for the sixth longest
streak of scoring 30 points in consecutive games in the last 40 NBA seasons.
Curry during this stretch has also
registered 11 of his at that time 28 games scoring 30 points or more, including
5 of his 8 games scoring 40-plus on the season. He became the first player in
NBA history to average 40 points, on 50 percent from the field on 139 for 258 (53.8
FG%); 40 percent from three-point range, going 78 for 158 (49.4 3-Pt.%) and 90
percent from the foul line, going 84 for 93 (90.3 Ft.%). His 78 made three-pointers
represent the most in an 11-game span in NBA history, and his average of 7.1
made triples during this stretch is also the most in NBA history.
“If I get some space, it’s all confidence,”
Curry said after his 49-point performance, with 29 of those points coming in
the first half (20 points in the 4th quarter) said to ESPN’s Lisa
Salters postgame after the Warriors 107-96 win at the Philadelphia 76ers on
Apr. 19.
“It’s something I work on every single day. And when you get in a rhythm like this, this is when it’s the most fun because all that work is paying off. And the confidence is earned, and so, that is something that I’m proud of.”
During the streak, Curry scored 53 with six
boards on 14 for 24 shooting, including 10 for 18 from three-point range, and
15 for 16 from the free throw line. It was his third best scoring performance
of this season, right behind his 57-point performance on 19 for 31 from the
field, including 11 for 19 from three-point range in the Warriors 134-132 loss
at the Dallas Mavericks on Feb. 6 on ABC, and a career-high 62 points on 18 for
31 from the floor, including 8 for 16 from three-point range, and 18 for 19
from the foul line in the Warriors 137-122 win versus the Portland Trail
Blazers on Jan. 3.
If that was not enough, four of Curry’s 21
career games with 10 made three-pointers or more, which consists of six total
such games this season, and four of those six games came during this stretch. Those
four such games Curry authored during his 11-game run scoring 30 points or more
was one less than his teammate Klay Thompson, who is out for the season with a
ruptured Achilles suffered during the offseason, and one more than All-Stars in
James Harden of the Brooklyn Nets, the 2018 Kia MVP and Damian Lillard of the
Portland Trail Blazers, and 2013 Kia Sixth Man of the Year with the New York
Knicks J.R. Smith had for their careers. It is also two more than what Chicago
Bulls All-Star Zach LaVine has had in his career.
Most Consecutive 30-Point Games After Turning
33 Years Old In NBA History
Stephen Curry (GS) 11 consecutive games in 2021
Kobe Bryant 10 consecutive games in 2012 with Lakers
Michael Jordan 10 consecutive games in
1995-96 and 1996-97 season with Bulls
Longest Streaks Scoring 32-Plus Points
Since 1983-84 season
James Harden (BKN) 24 straight games in
2018-19 season with Houston Rockets
Kobe Bryant 14 consecutive games in
2002-03 with Lakers
Tracy McGrady 11 consecutive games in
2002-03 with Orlando Magic
Stephen Curry (GS) 11 consecutive games in
2020-21 season with Warriors
LeBron James (LAL) 10 consecutive games in
2005-06 season with Cleveland Cavaliers
Michael Jordan 10 consecutive games in
1986-87 season with Bulls
Most Consecutive 30-Point Games Last 40
NBA Seasons
James Harden 32 consecutive Games in
2018-19 season with Rockets
Kobe Bryant 16 consecutive games in
2002-03 season with Lakers
Tracy McGrady 14 consecutive games in
2002-03 season with Magic
Moses Malone 13 consecutive games in
1981-82 season with Rockets
Kevin Durant (BKN) 12 consecutive games in
2013-14 season with Oklahoma City Thunder
Shaquille O’Neal 11 consecutive games in
2000-01 season with Lakers
Michael Jordan 11 consecutive games in
1986-87 season with Bulls
Stephen Curry (GS) 11 consecutive games in
2020-21 season with Warriors
Most Career Games With 10-Plus Made
Three-Pointers In NBA History
Stephen Curry (GS) 21 career games
Klay Thompson (GS) 5 career games
James Harden (BKN) 3 career games
Damian Lillard (POR) 3 career games
J.R. Smith 3 career games
Zach LaVine (CHI) 2 career games.
This amazing streak for Curry concluded in
the Warriors 118-114 close loss at the surging Washington Wizards on Apr. 21 where
Curry had just 18 points on 7 for 25 from the field, including 2 for 14 from
three-point range.
“It was a special ride for sure, and you
never really get too hyped up on individual, you know, streaks or accolades
like that. But there were some historical names that, you know I was able to
pass, and doing something at this age was pretty special,” Curry who had just
four points on 0 for 4 shooting with four turnovers in the opening period said
postgame.
“It was a great run. It was something I hadn’t
done before and it was going to end at some point. Now you got to start another
one.”
By scoring 37 points in two of the last
three games to close out April and his 30 points performance in the Warriors 113-87
win at the Rockets Saturday night on ESPN, Curry has scored 30 or more in 15 of
the last 17 games and is now tied with fellow All-Star Bradley Beal of the
Washington Wizards for the most games scoring 30 or more on the season with 32
and has authored eight games scoring 40-plus on the season, two more than the
six such games by Beal. Curry also leads the NBA with three games of 50-plus
points, one more than the two such games authored by two-time All-Star Jayson
Tatum.
Curry concluded the month of April making
96 three-pointers, the most in a calendar month in NBA history. His 37.3
scoring average last month is the most in a calendar month in league history
(minimum of five games). The 13 30-point games, which included five games scoring
40 points Curry authored in April was not only the most by a player age 33 or older
in league history, those 13 30-point games became the third most by a player in
a calendar month over the last 30 seasons. His scoring average of 35 points on
50 percent from the floor (51.8 percent), 40 percent from three-point range
(46.6) and 90 percent output from the foul line (90.8) made Curry the first
player to do that in a calendar month in NBA history (minimum of 10 games
played).
Curry during this streak and earlier this
season moved up the Warriors all-time ranks. In the Mar. 15 128-97 loss versus
the Lakers on ESPN, Curry passed Hall of Famer Guy Rodgers (4,856) on the franchise’s
all-time career assists list, with Curry now at 4,944 and counting. In the team’s
116-107 win versus the Denver Nuggets on Apr. 12 on ESPN, Curry surpassed the
late Hall of Famer Wilt Chamberlin (17,783 points) on the franchise’s all-time
scoring list, now at 18,170 career points and counting.
“Obviously anytime you bring up Wilt’s
name in any type of historical context, usually his seems way out of reach. To
know how many legendary players have worn a Warrior jersey, you know, Wilt,
Rick Barry, Chris Mullin, goes down the list, and to know what they were about
in their careers and the heights they got to, having been here for 12 years, to
have the scoring record I really didn’t was within reach until this year, it’s
kind of surreal,” Curry said in his Zoom interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols in
the middle of last month.
“Means a lot to represent myself, my family,
everyone that’s important to me and knowing that I’ve done it with one
organization.”
What Curry has done during this streak and
over the past seven-plus seasons is as NBA on ESPN studio analyst Jalen Rose
put it on the Apr. 17 edition of “NBA Countdown,” is that his ability to be in
shooting range right as he crosses half court is elongate the floor, similar to
what O’Neal did in this career making the opposition crash towards the basket
because of his ability to score at such a high level down low.
On top of that, Curry ability to handle
the basketball is what allows him to get in position to make shots from
distance as well as to finish amongst taller players at the hoop, whether going
right or left.
“Steph Curry is the first player that we watch
NBA games when he shoots it across half-court, we think it’s going in,” Rose
said. “So, now as a primary ball handler, and though we have position-less
basketball, and as a point guard, he shoots the basketball so well he’s not necessarily
required to be an assist guy.”
“Usually, your point guard if he was a scorer
like a Stephon Marbury for example or Allen Iverson, Gary Payton, they were
still required to lead the team in assists. Steph shoots the ball so very well
that, we don’t even care about that.”
To bring home what Rose said, Curry has the
Top 3 most made three-pointers per game for a season in NBA history, with a 5.2
average so far this season. He made on average of 5.1 made triples in 2015-16,
the back end of his back-to-back MVP seasons and a 5.1 average in 2018-19. The
only other person to come close is James Harden, who made an average of 4.8
threes for the Rockets in 2018-19 season.
How do other players feel about the
greatness of Stephen Curry, Trail Blazers’ All-Star guard Damian Lillard said in
a postgame presser in the middle of last month that “Steph Curry is the greatest
shooter of all-time.”
Longtime sportswriter and longtime host of
ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” Michael Wilbon said on the Apr. 13 show that
this moment allows us to celebrate what Curry did and Chamberlin’s time with
the Warriors, where he became the franchise’s all-time leading scorer in just
429 career games when he played for the then San Francisco Warriors.
Mr. Wilbon made it clear of his disappointment
of his fellow members in the print, digital, broadcast industry, particularly at
ESPN who failed to talk about Chamberlin and the context of this moment
especially.
In 429 career games with the Warriors, Chamberlin
averaged 41.5 points, with no made three-pointers and shot 56 percent from the
foul line, while Curry has a career scoring average of 24.1 points, making
2,786 career three-pointers (No. 2 all-time), and connecting on 90.7 percent of
his free throws in 755 career games and counting.
“When you put Steph Curry in context with
Wilt, you raise his profile, the celebrations even greater,” Wilbon said. “Don’t
not mention Wilt played 215 fewer games [318 fewer games]. That’s just wrong.
It’s irresponsible reporting and analysis…. You’re not taking away from Steph
Curry when you say here’s what Wilt did.”
Also, Curry’s 31.3 scoring average, which
leads the NBA at this point in the season would be the most for a single season
by a player in their 12th season or later, which would surpass the
29.6 and 28.7 scoring averages done by Jordan in the 1996-97 and 1997-98 season,
where he led the Bulls to two of their three titles, winning Kia MVP as well in
1997-98.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has
compared what Curry did in April to the inkling of what it must have been like
to watch legendary painter Pablo Picasso paint or legendary composer and
pianist Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart play the piano.
Coach Kerr was especially impressed with
what Curry and Tatum of the Celtics did during their tilt, a 119-114 loss at
the Celtics on Apr. 17 on ABC.
Curry scored 25 of his 47 points in the
second half, with 16 of those 47 points coming in the third quarter on 15 for
27 from the floor, including 11 for 19 from three-point range. Tatum had 23 of
his team-high 44 points in the first half with 10 boards on 16 for 25 shooting
including 5 for 9 from three-point range.
“I am in awe of what I watched tonight,”
Coach Kerr stated in his Zoom postgame presser about how his team and Curry and
Tatum played. “From a skill level and a level of competition. It felt like a
playoff game out there. Both teams were just gassed and competed like crazy.
And just incredible shot making, particularly from Steph and Jayson. So, what a
basketball game.”
In his postgame presser after the aforementioned
Warriors win at the 76ers, Coach Kerr a said that he saw Bryant have a stretch
like this early in his Lakers career as well as Jordan, his former teammate
with the Bulls, where they won three straight titles from 1996-98. But he said
that neither of them scored at a supreme level while shooting the ball with
such accuracy like Curry did.
“Obviously, nobody’s ever shot the ball
like this in the history of the game. And even by Steph’s own lofty standards,
this is above and beyond,” Kerr said.
Longtime teammate of Curry’s in three-time
All-Star and 2017 Kia Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green called Curry’s
recent scoring run “legacy changing basketball.”
In a pregame Zoom interview before the Warriors
tilt with the Rockets, Green said to Salters that has most fascinated by this
season with Curry especially during his scoring streak has been his strength.
How much stronger Curry has gotten to be able to take the hits and pounding on
a night in and night out basis to take the high number of shots and make them
whether from three-point range, mid-range or attacking the basket to either
finish to have a chance for a traditional three-point play or to get to the
free throw line for two free throws.
“The hits he’s able to take and finish.
People trying to bump him off his spot and that’s not working. That’s what’s
been most fascinating to me,” Green said. “Is how a guy at that level continue
to find ways to get better.”
Green added, “I’ve seen some incredible
stretches, but the way he’s doing it, you know, it’s not forced at all, which I
think is beautiful. I think there’s been times throughout the course of this
last month where he may have scored zero points in the first half or something
like that, and just not forcing it. Just letting the game come to him, and
making the right plays, the right reads, and trusting everybody else has been beautiful
to watch.”
What has also been beautiful to watch is
the joy and exuberance that we have seen Curry display during not just the
amazing scoring streak he had but throughout his entire career.
That joy not only has helped him play to the
exceptional level he has displayed throughout his career, particularly during
the Warriors run of five straight Finals appearances from 2015-19, winning three
titles but it has given his teammates confidence to bring their best to the
floor.
After hitting a left corner three-pointer
in the third quarter, Curry let out a yell that was heard throughout the Toyota
Center from both the Warriors and Rockets sidelines to the fans that could be
in attendance in the stands.
It for sure got Curry going as well as the
team as Curry scored 23 of his 30 points in the third quarter helping the Warriors
blow the game wide open as they outscored the Rockets 39-12 in the period to
win going away 113-87.
“I let out a yell to kind of get us going
and it was kind of an avalanche from there. So, I was trying to manifest it,
100 percent,” Curry, who went 7 for 11 from the field in the 2nd
half after a 2 for 12 effort in the first half said postgame to Salters. “Like
you only need to see one go in before the whole tied changes.”
What has also been wonderful to watch
during Curry’s career is how he has continued the family legacy that he, his younger
brother Seth Curry of the Philadelphia 76ers have continued that was first laid
by their father and current NBA color analyst for the Charlotte Hornets of
Bally Sports Southeast Warren Stephen “Dell” Curry, who played 16 NBA seasons
(1986-2002) with the Hornets, Utah Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks,
Toronto Raptors.
The hope is now that the Curry legacy continues
some years later with one of Steph’s three children in his two daughters in
nine-year-old Riley and five-year old Ryan, two-year-old son Canon with his
wife of 10 years Ayesha.
Curry said to Nichols that his oldest daughter
has no interest in playing basketball because she has seen her dad have so many
injuries in his career. So, it will either be Ryan or Canon play basketball at
some point.
“They’re definitely interested and obsessed
with the game. So, we’ll see how it goes,” Curry said.
In a season that has seen a lot of injuries,
inconsistent play at times on both ends, and an improved Western Conference,
the Warriors find themselves in position to take part in the NBA’s inaugural
play-in tournament for a chance at the playoffs after a one-year absence is
because of the spectacular play of Curry.
He has been especially important this
season because when he has taken the floor, the Warriors are 31-28. They are
only 1-7 when he has been out so far this season.
Then there is the question of the future
of how long Curry will remain a Warrior because of his contract coming up this
offseason.
Curry told Nichols that his main priority
has always been to play his entire career with one team, like the late Kobe
Bryant, Hall of Famer, and current NBATV/NBA on TNT Reggie Miller, who spent his
entire 18-year career with the Pacers, and future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki spent
his entire career with the Dallas Mavericks.
“You never know what can happen obviously.
But I feel like that’s always been something that would mean so much to me,”
Curry said, adding, “and you want to stay competitive. You want to stay in that
fight where you’re winning championships. And if I can accomplish both, that’s
the ultimate goal.”
In the month of April, the basketball world
was reminded of the greatness of Wardell Stephen “Steph” Curry by scoring 30
points or more in 11 straight games, an NBA record for a player age 33 or
older. We saw him do it with such accuracy from three-point range, mid-range
and at the foul line. We saw the spirit and focus that has made him a
three-time NBA champion, two-time league MVP, winning it unanimously in 2016,
and made him a fan favorite in the Bay Area of California, in our nation and
across the globe.
More than anything, we saw what a player
with a work ethic, determination, and focus to be transformational player that changed
the game to the point that now being a prolific three-point shooter is
something every NBA player works and wants to be.
Above all, what Stephen Curry did rose the
greatness of Wilt Chamberlin as well as another Warriors great in Rick Barry,
who averaged 25.0 points in 642 career games for them.
Information, statistics, and quotations
are courtesy of www.nba.com; 4/13/2021 5:30 p.m.
ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption,” with Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon;
4/17/2021 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. “NBA Countdown” on ESPN and ABC, presented by Mtn.
Dew with Maria Taylor, Jalen Rose, Adrian Wojnarowski, and Rachel Nichols;
4/18/2021 1 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime,” presented by State Farm with Matt Winer,
Sam Mitchell, and Channing Frye; 4/19/2021 7:30 p.m. “Golden State Warriors
versus Philadelphia 76ers on ESPN, presented by State Farm with Mike Breen,
Doris Burke, and Lisa Salters; 4/20/2021 2 a.m. NBATV’s “Gametime,” with Matt
Winer, Sam Mitchell, and Greg Anthony; 5/1/2021 7:30 p.m. "NBA Courtside," presented by McDonalds, "Golden State Warriors versus Houston Rockets," on ESPN, presented by State Farm with Mark Jones, Doris Burke, and Lisa Salters; 5/2/2021 8 a.m. ESPN’s “Sportscenter”
with Nicole Briscoe and Randy Scott; https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/player-with-the-most-30-point-games-this-season-in-the-nba;
https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/player-with-the-most-40-point-games-this-season-in-the-nba;
https://www.espn.com/nba/player/stats/gamelog/_/id/3975/stephen-curry;
https://www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/gs;
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draymond_Green;
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Rodgers;
https://en.m.wikpedia.org/wiki/Dell_Curry;
and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Curry.
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