Kendra Andrews, ESPN
SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry sized up Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II as the game clock ticked just under 30 seconds.
Curry danced his way to the top of the 3-point line, created just enough space to get a shot up and launched it. As the bucket went in, Curry ran back and hit his signature “Night Night” celebration, before chest-bumping Buddy Hield.
But Curry didn’t stop there. He walked toward the crowd, grabbed his jersey proudly displaying the words “Golden State” and yelled into a TV camera.
Immediately after the game, Curry said he didn’t remember what words came out of his mouth. But after rewatching the play, Curry told ESPN, “You better stay here.”
A smile cracked across his face as he recalled it.
“That type of moment with all of that angst, it was raw emotion,” Curry said.
That was the dagger shot that lifted the Warriors over the Mavericks 120-117 on Tuesday night in Klay Thompson‘s first game back since he left Golden State over the summer, after 13 years with the franchise.
“When you see him with that type of emotion, everyone else just falls in line,” Draymond Green said of Curry. “I try to lead in that category. But when he is up like that, I just move to the side and let him do his thing and then support.”
Curry scored 23 of his season-high 37 points in the second half. All 12 of his fourth-quarter points came in the final four minutes, erasing a six-point deficit in a game the Warriors eventually won by three.
“Good job, Steph,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said when asked what he thought as he was witnessed Curry’s flurry. “I’ve been watching this for a long time, and it never gets old. It’s incredible watching him. It really is. You just think every shot is going to go in, and he loves it. He loves the moment.”
With 2:40 remaining, Green set a screen to free Curry from Luka Doncic‘s side. Daniel Gafford tried to close out on him, but it was too late; Curry knocked down the 28-foot 3-pointer.
Seventy seconds later, Curry drove inside and hit a scoop runner. Then with 25 seconds left came the 3 that prompted the “Night Night” gesture. With the Warriors up by only three, Curry admitted pulling out the celebration at that moment was risky.
“I almost pulled a Si Woo Kim,” Curry said, referencing the golfer who used the taunt during the Presidents Cup golf tournament on the 16th hole.
On the next play, Dallas’ Quentin Grimes hit a 3 over Curry to make it a one-point game with 20 seconds to go.
“It was a little premature, but thankfully I’m still undefeated on the ‘Night Night,'” said Curry.
Curry finished the night 14-of-27 from the floor, including 5-of-12 from 3. He also recorded nine rebounds and two steals.
The Warriors controlled the game best in the first and third quarters when they felt they got sped up and ultimately rushed their decision-making. To be more decisive, the Warriors relied more on pick-and-rolls down the stretch and either tried to pull Lively outside to then score in the paint, find kick-out shots or take pull-up 3s if they presented themselves.
“I think we should have done a better job guarding him. But it’s Steph Curry, so sometimes there’s nothing you can do,” Doncic said.
“It hurts to be on the other side of one of his flurries,” Thompson added. “Guy got hot at the end and made some ridiculous shots. I know I’ve been on the other end, and it sucks.”