Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr watched as Michael Jordan fired so many impossible shots over the years that he had to laugh when asked if the circus behind Stephen Curry fired at the end of the first quarter of the year. 114-91 victory Tuesday night at the San Antonio Spurs reminded him of what the Chicago Bulls legend regularly did.
“This play was kind of Jordan-esque,” Kerr said. “I saw [Jordan] make it move many times. Go to the edge and miss it and make it move backwards. He didn’t always get it, but he liked to do that shot. It was an amazing example of body control, touch and sensation. What an amazing feature. “
In a race full of incredible plays, Curry’s whirlwind through three Spurs in the lane was one of the most interesting in recent memory. With 2:01 left in the first quarter, he took a pass over Draymond Green’s 3-point line and dribbled to the front edge of Spurs swinger DeMar DeRozan and veteran Rudy Gay, who he was coming from the right side to try to cut Curry. As he approached the edge, Curry jumped on Spurs guard Lonnie Walker, thought about throwing a pass to Warriors guard Kent Bazemore around the corner, but changed his mind once he heard the whistle. .
Curry put the ball on his head with his right hand. Spurs defenders were frightened trying to figure out how Curry had contorted his body in the air to end this play.
“It was fun,” Curry admitted after the game. “I don’t know the ranking, but it was up there, for sure. I had to improvise. I don’t even know how to explain it; I only had a good flow once I had the contact and heard the whistle. You just have to be able to to the glass as you can. All the wild and acrobatic shots you practice or try, your instincts take over, so it was pretty cool. “
The play surprised teammates and coaches – a reminder that Curry is playing at a different level at this point in his career.
“Man, I should go back around for this one,” Green said smiling when asked to classify the play among Curry’s all-time moments. “It was beautiful. Get the foul and just turn it up there. I don’t know if he did [claps arms together], but it was very close to a little MJ flip. It was fine. So, for sure, it was good. “
He even seemed to surprise Curry himself, but he avoided comparisons to Jordan and the high-flying stunts that MJ showed during his career.
“There was nothing high or high on the edge,” Curry said. “So, at least I didn’t go down without explaining myself first [Steve Smith] Smitty’s “under the edge” list. I will take that recognition. But yes, I changed hands; that is the only comparison. “
Although Curry was trying to minimize his latest success, his teammates couldn’t believe what they had just seen.
“If you look at me on the bench, I say to myself‘ Oh my God, this is crazy! I think he’s the best player in the world now. Bases [Bazemore] he said the other day: [Curry’s] simply unreal. And seeing him up close, seeing everything he does, is easy to see.
“I don’t take it for granted. I don’t think we’ll ever see anyone, I never want to say it, but for a long time we won’t see someone like Steph Curry.”
Curry’s highlight came last night on one of the most impressive road trips he’s had in recent memory. During the Warriors’ four games for Dallas and San Antonio, Curry combined for 149 points in four games and went from 25 to 50 over the arc. After a slow start to the season, Curry has taken on the challenge of leading an uncontrolled team back in the postseason, a challenge that became even more difficult in Texas because the Warriors played without big men James Wiseman (wrist) and Kevon Looney (ankle)).
“I’m blessed to be healthy after last year,” Curry said. “And obviously the way the season started all sorts of comments, talks and all that, I worked my ass off during the off-season with rehab and I’m happy to play night after night … I feel strong, I I feel in the rhythm, I feel in the maximum control of my game My shots fall And all this involves, not only my own confidence, but the growing confidence of our team, in terms of how we try to play Win or lose, that familiarity and that comfort come game after game, so it’s important. I definitely feel the strongest I’ve been. I have a lot of energy, feeding on my guys and just trying to play.. Right now it’s a good atmosphere. “
Curry is playing so well that Kerr reiterated what he said last week: He believes the 32-year-old guard plays the best basketball of his career.
“I think that’s part of Steph’s brilliance, it’s that he always surprises you to the point of almost taking it for granted,” Kerr said. “I think, and maybe it’s circumstantial given the injuries and the fact that he plays with a different group of guys: this is the best I’ve ever seen him from the point of view of confidence and strength. And that’s to say something “Obviously, a double vice president, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him better.”
It’s a feeling that Green echoed, saying he also believes his teammate played “the best basketball of his career.” After all the frustration on the part of the fan base in recent days as to whether Kerr and the Warriors would allow Curry to play a few more minutes after the original 34-minute mark the team had set for him to average throughout the season, a win and Curry’s incredible work provided a good dose of happiness for a group that has struggled to find consistency all year.
Kerr couldn’t help but smile once more when asked if he had planned to keep Curry and Green out of Tuesday’s game, after saying after Monday’s loss to San Antonio that he wouldn’t sacrifice Curry’s minutes just to “chase. the victories “this season.
“We considered it,” Kerr said. “But the last two days, I had heard a lot from our fan base, I just decided,‘ You know what? I really need to put them back on so everyone is happy. “