Steph Curry Electrifies NBA Fans as Warriors Beat LeBron James-Less Lakers
Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVFebruary 23, 2024
Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
The Los Angeles Lakers were without LeBron James (left ankle) on Thursday night, but the Golden State Warriors very much had Stephen Curry available.
And he was cooking.
The Dubs’ star went off for 32 points and eight assists, sinking six triples, as the Warriors beat the Lakers easily, 128-110. Curry had 25 of those points by halftime.
NBA @NBASteph Curry goes behind-the-back for the DIME to Wiggins!
LAL-GSW LIVE on TNT pic.twitter.com/3b0IfvWBh3
NBA on TNT @NBAonTNTSteph drives in for the tough two 🔥 pic.twitter.com/PQkp2B6ejy
NBA on TNT @NBAonTNT25 first half PTS for Steph! 👨🏽🍳 pic.twitter.com/zyCIXA4NmH
Warriors on NBCS @NBCSWarriors🚨 STEPH SHIMMY 🚨 pic.twitter.com/DA0IyiiJJV
Andrew Wiggins chipped in 20 points for Golden State, while Anthony Davis paced the Lakers with 27 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks.
But Curry came out hot and had the Warriors cruising in the second half, and fans and pundits on social media enjoyed the show:
Harrison Faigen @hmfaigenNo one more demoralizing to watch cook your team than Steph
Dan Devine @YourManDevineSteph has 25 points in 17 minutes on 12 shots. Just pure molten lava.
Thomas Cornelius @TCornelius__Curry for MVP‼️
Jim Park🏀🌌 @SheridanblogSteph Curry is in another gear to close out the rest of this season. Use this man in PnR w/ Draymond copiously for this final stretch, and don’t ever tell me about “running him to the ground” – stop disrespecting and babying the GOAT.
🅾️🅿️timistic W🅰️rriors Fan 💥 @30problemzSTEPH CURRY ON FIREEEEEEEEEE pic.twitter.com/pHnuPsFXBX
WarriorsMuse @WarriorsMuseGreat team synergy going on.
Everyone involved. Ball is running thru Steph. Paying dividends.
𝐋• @clarkkent415No lie Steph better than Bron was at 35
. @2811myblockSteph Curry is pushing 36 at 6’2 and no one in the world can guard him. GOAT
Curry is going to be remembered as the greatest perimeter shooter who ever lived, but it can be easy to forget that he’s also an elite facilitator.
He served up another reminder on Thursday night, setting a new Warriors’ milestone:
Golden State Warriors @warriorsThe first player in franchise history to reach 6,000 career regular-season assists 👏 pic.twitter.com/NuKescA9Bo
It may only be February, but this was a pretty big win for the Warriors (28-26), dropping them just a half-game behind the Lakers (30-27) for the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference. Both teams are currently Play-In Tournament seeds.
The Warriors not only have three games in hand on the Lakers as both teams try to climb up the standings, however, but they evened up the season series between the teams, with two more matchups to come.
And don’t look now, but the Warriors are pretty hot, winners of nine of their last 11 games. Since moving Brandin Podziemski into the starting lineup, the team is 2-0. The Warriors have found some heat with a starting 5 of Curry, Podziemski, Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green.
But they will only go as far as Curry can take them. And over the past month, he has the Dubs looking like the sort of team that no one will want to see in the playoffs.
Sure