Steph Curry... the Warriors’ driving force in the NBA Finals
Big game players respond in big game situations and with Friday night’s performance in Boston, Stephen Curry delivered his most successful showing in an NBA Finals game.
Friday night’s performance from Warriors Stephen Curry was unquestionably his most accomplished performance in an NBA Finals game as Golden State tied the series 2-2.
Despite three championship rings to his name (2015, 2017, 2018), Curry has never been named MVP of these Finals with the Ohio-born player eclipsed by the likes of Andre Iguodala, and then Kevin Durant.
Criticism aimed at the point-guard suggesting that he was unable to raise his level in the most crucial games git under Curry’s skin despite winning two MVP awards in regular NBA seasons (2015 and 2016).
Fourth ring on the line
The Warriors have yet to lead the current series and Curry is clearly on a double mission ahead of the next game on Monday back in San Francisco: to win the 2022 Championship and be crowned MVP of this series.
The only player to have been named best player of a finals, while being on the losing side, is Jerry West, with the Lakers in 1969 and there is no doubt that the Curry would not like to see his name added to this listing.
Stratospheric numbers
Curry’s current scoring rate is exceptional, averaging 26.5 points per game in the finals, at 39% on 3-point shots. After four games, he is averaging 34.3 points, at 49.1% from long range.
His 43 points (14/26 including 7/14 behind the arc) quietened the partisan home fans at the TD Garden on Friday, especially in the third quarter and this momentum was instrumental in Golden State’s win to tie the series as Curry found a second wind to finish the job with ten more points.
His performance in Boston on Friday even promoting a response from LeBron James as he commented on Twitter: “The chef is INSANE !!!”.
‘Curry carried us’
“He carried us on his back. He wasn’t going to let us lose. That’s what it comes down to in the end. He showed why he’s one of the best to ever play basketball,” teammate Draymond Green said. His “Splash Brother” Klay Thompson said Curry delivered “probably the best” performance of his career in the Finals, and “in a game that needed to be won”.
“He carried us on his back. He wasn’t going to let us lose”
The display came just 48 hours after a injured left foot cast doubts over his appearance in Boston.
“What he did was just dazzling. Boston has the best defense in the league. And for Steph to withstand that pressure throughout the game, shows that he’s never been so strong physically,” said his coach Steve Kerr.