Steph, we missed you
Love,
Basketball fans worldwide pic.twitter.com/BBuL3nGiJl
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 31, 2017
OAKLAND–Let the tape roll.
For any doubters, any naysayers and anyone who doesn’t believe Steph Curry is the heart and soul of the best team in basketball, flip on the tape from December 30, 2017.
After spending three weeks on the sideline due to an ankle injury he suffered in early December, Curry returned to the floor on Saturday evening at Oracle Arena for a game that was supposed to ease him back into the Warriors’ rotation. Head coach Steve Kerr wanted to play Curry in four short spurts, as Golden State imposed a minutes limit on its star point guard.
About that…
In a dazzling display of superhuman shooting and a signature Curry performance complete with long-range missiles and crowd-pleasing shimmies, Curry logged a season-high 10 three-pointers and scored 38 points on 13-of-17 shooting to lead the Warriors to a 141-128 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. In the end, Kerr’s wish came true, as Curry only played 26 minutes, but when he was on the floor on Saturday, no player in the world could have matched the type of impact he provided.
Players since 2000 with 38+ points in 27 or fewer minutes
-Steph Curry tonight
-Kevin Love once— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 31, 2017
While Golden State went 9-2 with Curry watching from the sidelines, the Warriors dropped a 111-100 decision on Friday evening against a lowly Charlotte Hornets team that showed just how “boring” the Warriors had become. Though Kerr’s squad still won games at an impressive clip, the Warriors turned into a grind-it-out defensive-minded squad that scratched and clawed its way to wins while Curry was on the bench.
After scoring 100 points or fewer in three of their previous four games, the Warriors racked up 116 points against Memphis on Saturday by the end of the third quarter, a remarkable stat considering Golden State had reached 116 points in just two of its previous 11 games, including once in an overtime win over the Lakers. With Curry back in action, though, the Warriors morphed into a completely different unit, wearing their “super-team” label with a badge of honor as they shot from impossible distances, lobbed thundering alley-oops and moved the ball at a jaw-dropping rate.
The fans inside Oracle Arena were eager for Curry’s return too, as the crowd took to its feet with each of the point guard’s attempts. As Memphis struggled to corral a star with fresh legs, Golden State continued to feed the beast, allowing Curry to cap off the night with a season-high in three-point makes.
Zaza x Steph ???? pic.twitter.com/Y6DASIciYl
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 31, 2017
Though the Warriors were expected to decimate the Grizzlies, Curry’s return offered a renewed sense of hope and energy to a talented team forced to slog through the dog days of the regular season without its engine.
Steph's first half: 21 PTS (7-9 FG, 5-7 3PT), 3 AST
Highlights ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/9dyPwK5MVE— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 31, 2017
The only negative for Golden State on Saturday night came during the second quarter, when forward Draymond Green was ejected after drawing two technical fouls within the span of one minute. Both of Green’s technicals were issued for arguing with officials, as he picked up a pair of foul calls on Grizzlies’ shot attempts. The quick whistles pushed Green into the NBA lead for technical fouls with 10, as he separate himself from teammate Kevin Durant and Pelicans’ center DeMarcus Cousins who each have eight.
Steph gonna Steph ?♂️ #CurrySZN pic.twitter.com/AsxdbdpUPt
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) December 31, 2017