6/11/22

By: OutOfSightSports

Twitter: @OOSSports

IG: outofsightsports

Curry’s UNREAL Performance Propels Warriors to Game 4 W to Tie NBA Finals at 2-2

Stephen Curry is not the type to show a lot of emotion during a game, but in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, when the Golden State Warriors beat the Boston Celtics 107-97, Curry played with his heart on his sleeve the whole time.

After making back-to-back 3-pointers late in the first quarter, Curry ran to the other end of the court and started yelling at the Boston fans. This is something he does maybe once or twice later in the game after a big shot, but not usually in the beginning.

Curry said, “Whether that’s their crowd, their team, our team, whoever wants to see that energy and that fire, we feed off of that.” 

Chef Curry scored 43 points, including seven 3-pointers, by making 14 of 26 of his shot attempts. He also grabbed 10 rebounds and four assists. He became only the fifth guard in NBA history to have at least 40 points and 10 rebounds in a Finals game. 

“Incredible,” said Draymond Green. “Put us on his back. Willed us to win. Much-needed win. A game we had to have. Came out and showed why he’s one of the best players to ever play this game, you know, and why, you know, this organization has been able to ride him to so much success. It’s absolutely incredible.” 

Green said he knew Curry wouldn’t let the Warriors lose. Kerr labeled Curry’s performance as “stunning.” Klay Thompson said it was Curry’s best game in the Finals. 

Curry doesn’t rate his games, but he said he knew what he did Friday night was important, especially considering what was at stake. Depending on how Friday’s game went, the Warriors would have either been down 3-1 or tied the series at two games each. 

Curry said, “It means everything knowing the sense of urgency we had to have tonight to win on the road and keep some life in the series, get home-court advantage back and try to create some momentum our way.”

Curry scored 33 points in the first three quarters, which was a pattern in the first three games of the series. The fourth quarter was his weak spot, as he only scored three points on 30 percent of his shots. 

On Friday, in the last frame, he got 10 points. Overall, he scored 24 points in the second half, which tied for the most points he’s ever scored in the second half of a Finals game in his career. 

The Warriors shut down the Celtics as a team in the fourth quarter. In the last five minutes of the game, when it mattered most, Golden State outscored Boston 13-0. This makes them the first team in the last 50 years to win a Finals game by at least 10 points in regulation after being behind at some point in the last five minutes. 

Wiggins added, “We were helping each other out, playing together, playing aggressively on the defensive side and, most importantly, just closing out. You know, not grabbing rebounds. No offensive rebounds. Didn’t get second-chance points. So that was big.” 

With just over a minute left in the game and the Warriors up by three, Green grabbed the offensive rebound after Thompson’s missed 3-pointer. He gave it to Curry, but when the Celtics double-teamed Curry, he quickly got the ball back. Then, Green passed the ball to Kevon Looney, who dunked over Al Horford to finish. 

Kerr said it was the night’s largest bucket. But Curry was the one who got them to where that shot could be the dagger.

“The things he does, we kind of take for granted from time to time,” Thompson said. “But to go out there and put us on his back, I mean, we got to help him out on Monday.”

On Friday, Thompson scored 18 points and hit four 3-pointers to help Curry. Andrew Wiggins scored 17 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, and Jordan Poole added 14 points. Looney came off the bench for the first time in this series and ended up with 11 rebounds and a net rating of +21. 

Curry’s 43 points were more than the other Warriors’ starters’ 39 points. He is the oldest player to do that in a Finals game since Michael Jordan, who did it against the Utah Jazz in Game 6 of the 1998 Finals when he was 35. 

Green had trouble, and he didn’t make a big difference in the game once again. In the last five minutes of the game, Kerr even took Green out of the game when the offense had the ball. 

As Thompson said, the Warriors know they have to help Curry out. But they aren’t saying they need to do it by sharing the brunt of the scoring responsibilities.

“When a guy is on a roll like that, you just get out of his way,” Thompson said.

Green added:  “You just try to do what you can to help free him up to get him to his spots or open up some space for him to create and get to his spots. For us, we’ve just got to continue to fill in where we may. You’ve got a shot, take it. … I think if everybody is forceful on the offensive end, and that means with cuts, that means crisp with your passes, then you allow him to be in the position to do what he does.”

Green said he knew Curry would play Game 4 with more fire because he could tell from how Curry acted in the days after their lackluster loss on Wednesday. 

Curry said that he knew going into Game 4 that he wanted to be in charge. He knew that things could change quickly in the Finals, and if he could get his team to win in Boston, everything would be in the Warriors’ favor. 

Green said, “He was going to come out with that kind of fire.” “And he did, and we could all keep up.”

Full Game Highlights: https://youtu.be/IXyURSiDyfE

Game 5 is Monday (9 p.m. ET on ABC) at Chase Center.