Dig If U Will The Picture
11/82 W Sacramento Kings 116-113
STEPH!!!
[Note: to make today more interactive, I highly encourage you, much like Steph did last night, to add some F-bombs to this post said from pure joy, wherever you feel like it. However, if you prefer a PG version, you can add what Andrew Wiggins said when asked about playing with Steph “It’s lovely”]
What can you say about Steph that hasn’t been said 100,000 times before? Nothing. Nothing can be said. But all I want to do is talk about him. All I wanna do is watch this game again. All I wanna do is yell Steph (interactive part) Curry, but it’s 12:32 am and I have downstairs neighbors. Steph has put the team on his back many times before (game 4 of the NBA finals), and he did it again. He’s been playing great offensively all year (32.6 P, 51.2% overall) and is the usual Steph on defense, which is a few more turnovers than I would like but also a few more rebounds than I expect. But tonight he did that Steph thing. The announcers said, “he has that look in his eye”. I’m not sure what look they were referring to, but this was Steph when he subbed out in the 3rd quarter, down by 7 points.
The disassociated-I-would-rather-be-anywhere-but-here look. When Steph gets this look, watch out. He’s not checked out, he’s super dialed in. Steph is about to handle business.
47 points. 8 rebounds. 8 assists. No turnovers. He is the first NBA player since Larry Bird in 1979 to do that. Steph refused to lose. He didn’t do it entirely alone. The Warriors in general played much stronger defense, though their offense struggled. Wiggins came through in the 4th quarter (5/5 FG, 3/3 3P) as he and Steph combined for 30 of the 37 points in the 4th.
Poole had another uncharacteristic off night. It wasn’t so much the lack of scoring or the fact that he had more turnovers than points–although both of those are surprising. Usually an off night for him is because he’s shooting too much or playing too hard. The last few games he has looked…hesitant. Unsure. Lacking confidence that he always has in abundance. Something is off and my non-professional opinion is that ever since he had those 3 carry calls against the Heat, something is missing from his game. I’m not worried, but it is strange to see him not even looking for the basket. (Per reports, 45 minutes after the game, Poole was out on the court, still in uniform, getting up shots.)
But back to Curry. Let’s watch that sequence in full.
The Warriors take the lead for the first time since the 1st quarter with under 2 minutes left. Watch him turn around before the shot is made, knowing it’s in. Take out his mouthguard. A slight pause like it’s no big deal. Then the chest thump yell. Then the full Prince, which I haven’t seen before. Steph with Prince level swagger? I love it.
