Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry once again turned heads Sunday night with a historic performance in a 136-131 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. The 37-year-old guard scored 48 points, including 12 3-pointers on 19 attempts, while shooting 16-of-26 from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. It was Curry’s fifth career game with at least 12 3-pointers and his 45th 40-point game since turning 30, surpassing Michael Jordan’s 44 games in the same category.
“Just cool recognition and longevity,” Curry said when asked to share his feelings on the achievement (h/t San Francisco Chronicle's Sam Gordon). “Obviously, I’d like to celebrate it with a win, but any time you’re doing anything with certain names in this league, historically, that definitely means something.”
Golden State had Steph Curry at his absolute best, but still couldn't secure the win. Portland’s offense spread the scoring around, with Jerami Grant and Shaedon Sharpe dropping 35 points each and Deni Avdija adding 26, overwhelming the Warriors' defense. The Trail Blazers shot 51 percent from the floor and made 26-of-29 free throws. It’s worth mentioning that Curry was the only Warrior to score over 20 points in the game.
Curry has been especially prolific since returning from a five-game absence due to a quadriceps injury. In Friday’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, he scored 39 points on 50 percent shooting, including 6-of-15 from three, along with five rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes.
Over 18 games this season, the 2x MVO is averaging 29.6 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game while shooting 48.4 percent from the field, 41.2 percent from three, and 90.7 percent from the free throw line. He has already surpassed his previous 40-point game frequency, averaging a 40-point performance every 4.5 games this season.
Sunday’s matchup also showcased just how lethal Curry can be in the closing stretches. He put up 33 points in the second half, with 21 coming in the fourth quarter alone, the 44th time in his career he’s scored 20 or more points in a quarter. Overall, Curry now ranks ninth all-time with 75 career 40-point games
Golden State, however, remains inconsistent as a team. The Warriors are now 13-14, and even with Curry’s scoring heroics, they are just 3-5 when he scores at least 34 points. They now have three days to rest and recharge before taking on the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.
