Steph Curry is healthy again. And for the first time since Jan. 29, the Golden State Warriors had their star guard in the lineup for a game.
The 38-year-old made an immediate impact, showcasing the grit and energy the Warriors have sorely missed during his absence. He led the team with 29 points off the bench, along with four assists and two rebounds, in a 116-115 loss to the Houston Rockets on Sunday.
Curry was a nervous wreck in the final hours before suiting up after missing 27 games with a nagging knee injury, but those nerves went away rather quickly.
“You know, this Easter Sunday, Resurrection Sunday, this has been a special day to reflect and appreciate what I get to do every day,” Curry said to the media after the game. “There were a lot of nerves all day. My family supported me at home when I was a nervous wreck tryna pass the hours before I got to the arena. But once you get back into your routine, you’ve been doing it for so long, muscle memory takes over, the adrenaline takes over… and now I can kinda settle into how we’re gonna finish the year.”
It was the spark that Golden State had been looking for during the ongoing bad stretch, and Curry admitted that it took some time to find the rhythm as he is still getting adjusted after a long layoff due to injury.
“First run was tough, the second run was great,” Curry added. “Second quarter, once I got my feet underneath me and obviously the momentum carried all the work you put in, rehab, to get through even 26 minutes at that level, I was very grateful.”
But once he did, he was a force to be reckoned with. He scored seven points late in the second quarter, added 11 in the third, and finished with another 11 in the final minutes of the fourth. Though he was still under a minutes restriction of 25 minutes, he went 11-for-21 from the field and 5-for-10 from beyond the arc.
The performance was a prime example of the four-time NBA champion’s instincts, and his 17 years in the league have been a testament to his readiness at the professional level.
Kevin Durant Makes Major Stephen Curry Admission After Warriors vs Rockets Showdown
Steph Curry’s onslaught caught the eyes of many, in particular one of his former teammates, Kevin Durant.
“We had the game in control, then they put No. 30 in the game and he got them back into it so easily. You know, he makes shots so quickly and he looked incredible after a couple of months off,” Durant said after the Rockets’ nervy win over the Warriors.
Houston led by as many as 15 points twice in the final two quarters, but each time Curry came into the game, Golden State was able to cut the deficit, including a 14-point run in the fourth quarter. He hit big shots to give the Warriors a late lead, but it wasn’t enough for the win.
If Sunday was any indication, the Warriors have plenty to be optimistic about their postseason chances with Curry’s return. They will aim to snap their four-game skid when they continue their homestand against the crosstown rivals, the Sacramento Kings, on Tuesday.
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