Stephen Curry Hushes Critics with Record-Breaking Game

Amid all the criticism coming towards Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, the point guard hushed critics with a record-breaking performance.

Oscar Robertson: “He’s [Curry] shot well because of what’s going on in basketball today. In basketball today, it’s almost like if you can dunk or make a three-point shot, you’re the greatest thing since sliced bread…. when I played years ago, if you shot a shot outside and hit it, the next time I’m going to be up on top of you. I’m going to pressure you with three-quarters, half-court defense. But now they don’t do that. These coaches do not understand the game of basketball, as far as I’m concerned.”

Stephen Jackson: “My Warriors’ team [the 2006-2007 “We Believe” team] would beat today’s Warriors’ team.”

Richard Hamilton: “Somebody’s gotta put him down,” regarding Curry’s in-game celebrations.

Everyone has an opinion on the Golden State Warriors. As the team chases the 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls’ record of 73 wins in a regular season, everyone from the media to the fans have their thoughts on this team. As shown above, not every retired NBA player enjoys what the Warriors, and what their superstar Stephen Curry in particular, are doing. It just doesn’t really matter to Curry.

On Saturday night, Curry shut everyone up and made the Oklahoma City Thunder his personal whipping boys. He proved to Robertson, one of the NBA’s greatest of all-time, that there is no defense for him. He proved to Jackson that no matter how much a team believes they can win, like the Thunder thought they would, the Warriors are virtually unstoppable, even on a bad night. He proved to Hamilton that sometimes, there’s a cause for celebration.

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Hobbled by an ankle that he turned early in the third quarter, Curry showed no ill effects as he led the Warriors to a big time comeback. He missed mere minutes getting the ankle wrapped in the locker room, and just like in the Hollywood movies, he returned to action and led the club form the doldrums of a deficit to an awe-inspiring victory. Though the Warriors are still chasing the record as a team, Curry broke a few individually on Saturday.

After Andre Iguodala, the unlikeliest of sources, hit two free throws with less than a second left in the fourth quarter to tie the game, Curry took over in overtime. With three minutes and 53 second left in the game, Curry hit his 10th three-pointer of the contest, matching his own single season record of 286 threes in a single season, set just last year. With two minutes and 29 seconds left, Curry hit his 287th three of the year, breaking his record and tying the game at 110. He saved his best for last.

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With just seconds left in the game and the score knotted at 118 apiece, the Warriors’ point guard heaved a three-pointer from well beyond the arc, over 38 feet away from the hoop, with a defender in his face. Every person in the building watched as if there was an airshow in the sky, holding their breath as their hopes of watching their team win hung in the balance. The orange sphere made its final landing in the net, giving the Warriors an overtime win in one of the best games of the season. Curry gave a little dance, almost taunting Rip Hamilton to come give him that shot in his ribs he talked about.

Had that ball come from the hands of anyone but Curry, it would have been shocking. Instead, it was just another day at the office for Curry. The final dagger in the Thunder’s collective hearts was Curry’s 288th three-pointer of the season, and his 12th of the game. That total matched the single-game record, putting Curry next to Donyell Marshall and Kobe Bryant.

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Criticize as you may, no player is doing what Curry does, and no team is doing what the Warriors are. Curry called the criticism from old-timers “annoying“, and they probably feel the same way watching this young man destroy the boundaries of the court and make everyone re-think the way the game is played. Those guys had their time. This is Stephen Curry’s time.

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