Stephen Curry scores 34 factors in 23 minutes as Golden State Warriors dominate Denver Nuggets to take management of sequence

SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry squared up Monte Morris earlier than crossing him up. After the Golden State Warriors star made it previous Morris, Nikola Jokic remained between Curry and the basket. However earlier than Jokic or Morris may cease him, Curry cut up them on a spin transfer and completed with a layup as he crashed to the bottom.

The Denver Nuggets referred to as timeout, and as Curry made his method down the court docket, you may learn his lips saying three very clear phrases: “I am f—ing again.”

“[There was a little] pep in my step and the physique felt good,” Curry stated after the Warriors beat the Nuggets 126-106 on Monday at Chase Heart to take a 2-Zero lead of their first-round playoff sequence. “You make sure pictures, feels slightly bit completely different and extra regular and extra emotion comes out, particularly with that layoff. It was a pleasant feeling.”

Maybe the Warriors did not want Curry to be again in that kind. They managed simply high-quality together with his quieter evening in Sport 1, his first sport again since March 16. Forward of Sport 2, a supply instructed ESPN that the Warriors had been hoping Curry would begin to discover his groove however would not be involved if he did not. However when he did, it gave a style of what this Warriors staff can appear to be absolutely wholesome and clicking on all cylinders — like a critical contender within the postseason for the primary time in years.

With Curry coming off the bench once more and nonetheless taking part in below a 22- to 23-minute restriction, he stated it was his aim Monday to easily make his minutes impactful.

Curry completed the evening with 34 factors, 4 assists, three rebounds, one block and one help for a plus-32 web ranking.

“Jesus,” Draymond Green stated when he noticed Curry’s web ranking on the stat sheet.

“He was unbelievable,” Inexperienced stated. “He simply stored driving, and I feel that broke their protection. As soon as he did that, you have received him into the paint kicking out and flying again off for 3s. That is when Steph is at his most harmful — off the ball. The best way he got here in and settled our offense, it is what you count on from Steph. … To be plus-32 in 23 minutes, it does not get significantly better than that.”

Curry shot 12-for-17 (71%) from the sector, the very best subject aim share of his playoff profession. It is the primary time in his profession he scored 30-plus factors in fewer than 25 minutes (common season or playoffs), despite the fact that it was the 48th time he performed 25 minutes or much less.

“Curry is the best sixth man ever within the playoffs,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone stated.

He continued: “Essentially the most harmful man on the ground is the man who simply handed the ball, and Steph Curry is the embodiment of that. And he is been doing it for years. He provides the ball up, you chill out, and he is flying off one other display screen, and he makes you pay.”

The Nuggets have confronted the identical conundrum by the primary two video games. They need to defend Curry arduous, possibly even throw a double-team his method, which is not unusual. However what do they do about Klay Thompson? And now, they’re pressured to confront Jordan Poole as effectively.

“The issue is, you’ve gotten three gamers which are able to placing up 30, 40 factors,” Malone stated. “You will have three gamers that may get it on their very own, they usually do such a fantastic job of passing, shifting and making performs for one another.”

Thompson completed with 21 factors on 9-of-19 taking pictures, whereas Poole adopted up his stellar playoff debut with 29 factors on 10-of-16 taking pictures, together with 5-of-10 from 3, eight assists and 5 rebounds.

Poole joined Wilt Chamberlain as the one two gamers in franchise historical past with 25 factors in every of their first two profession playoff video games. Poole’s 82.Eight efficient subject aim share by his first two playoff video games is the second highest of any participant within the shot-clock period.

“The maturation of his sport in these three years has been unbelievable,” Curry stated of Poole. “Simply his confidence in himself to have the ability to take it up one other notch at this stage, it is extraordinarily spectacular. … That may’t be taught. That is one thing you both have or you do not. I am glad that he has it.”

Watching the way in which the trio has carried out to this point within the first spherical, it is arduous not to think about the way in which the Warriors — particularly Curry, Thompson and Kevin Durant — toyed with their opponents through the latter years of their dynastic run.

It is all they did with the Nuggets for the center two quarters Monday when the sport fully shifted in favor of Golden State. It was nearly a reproduction of how they took management of Sport 1.

The Warriors’ latest small-ball lineup — comprising Curry, Poole, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Inexperienced — checked in on the six-minute mark of the second quarter and put collectively a 22-Eight run. Over the primary two video games of the sequence, that lineup has outscored Denver 42-14 in 10 minutes.

“That is two video games in a row if you’re in a sport, then snap of a finger, you are out of the sport,” Malone stated.

On Monday, the Warriors closed the half on a 26-Eight run — 24 of these factors had been scored by Curry, Thompson and Poole.

Via the primary two video games of this sequence, Curry, Thompson and Poole have mixed for 149 factors and are taking pictures a mixed 56% from the sector (52-of-93) and 51% from deep (26-of-51).

“You are going to sport plan for Steph and you are going to sport plan for Klay, however now you have to sport plan for Jordan,” Inexperienced stated. “That is a special beast.”

Poole has picked up sure nuances of Curry’s sport, notably the way in which Curry will get his appears all through the Warriors’ offense, creating area, making the most of mismatches and shifting fluidly off the ball.

Groups typically plan on trapping Curry however now should revise their defensive plans to lure Poole as effectively.

“It is arduous to sport plan in opposition to as a result of it’s a must to give one thing up,” Curry stated. “There’s simply numerous choices. And for groups to make these choices on the fly, it is tough, particularly after we are taking part in quick.”

Curry got here off the bench for the second consecutive sport, and it will proceed so long as he’s below a tighter minutes restriction. Curry is not in any explicit rush to get again into the beginning lineup, saying it is extra essential to handle the lingering discomfort in his left foot than to hurry to begin video games.

His teammates assist that call. And with Poole performing as he has, they don’t seem to be feeling any stress to hurry Curry both. However, when requested if it issues who begins, Inexperienced stated it does. Finally, Inexperienced stated, they want Curry again on the market. However he had a fast comply with up:

“Jordan’s in all probability going to have to begin, too. … Nice drawback to have.”