Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr saw Michael Jordan fall into so many impossible pitches over the years that he had to laugh when asked if the circus shot behind Stephen Curry’s head in the first quarter of Tuesday night’s victory by 114-91 at the San Antonio Spurs reminded him of what the Chicago Bulls legend used to do regularly.
“That move was kind of Jordan,” said Kerr. “I saw [Jordan] do this movement many times. Go to the edge and get the dirt and just throw it back. He didn’t always succeed, but he liked to make that shot. This was an incredible example of body control, touch and sensation. What an amazing photo. “
In a career filled with unbelievable moves, Curry’s quick kick through three Spurs on the track was one of the most interesting in recent memory. With 2:01 left to the end of the first quarter, he made a pass above Draymond Green’s 3-point line and dribbled down towards the edge, passing Spurs’ swingman, DeMar DeRozan, and veteran Rudy Gay, who was coming on the right side to try to cut off Curry. As soon as he approached the edge, Curry jumped on Spurs guard Lonnie Walker, thought about giving a pass to Warriors guard Kent Bazemore in the corner, but changed his mind when he heard the whistle.
Curry threw the ball over his head with his right hand. The Spurs’ defenders were stunned to find out how Curry had wriggled his body in the air to end such a move.
“It was fun,” admitted Curry after the game. “I don’t know the ranking, but it was up there, for sure. I had to improvise. I don’t even know how to explain it; I just had a good flow as soon as I got the contact and heard the whistle. Just put it in the glass as you can. All the wild, acrobatic photos you practice or experience, instincts take over – so it was really cool. “
The game surprised teammates and coaches by surprise – a reminder that Curry is playing at a different level at this point in his career.
“Dude, I would have to go back to the safe to get that one,” Green said with a smile when asked to rate the move among Curry’s best moments. “That was good. Take the foul and just shoot it up. I don’t know if he did it [claps arms together], but it was very close to a small jump from MJ. It was nice. So that was a good one, for sure. “
The change even seemed to surprise Curry himself – but he ruled out any comparison with Jordan and the acrobatics MJ exhibited during his career.
“There was nothing high or over the edge in that,” said Curry. “So, at least I’m going to enter the [Steve Smith] Smitty’s ‘below the list’. I will accept this recognition. But yes, I changed hands; this is the only comparison. “
Even as Curry tried to minimize his latest achievement, his teammates could not believe what they had just seen.
“If you’re watching me on the bench, I’m like, ‘My God, this is crazy!’, Said Warriors striker Juan Toscano-Anderson. I think he is the best player in the world at the moment. Baze [Bazemore] said the other day: [Curry’s] simply unreal. And the fact that I can watch him closely, I can watch everything he’s doing, it’s just – it’s cool to watch.
“I don’t take that for granted. I don’t think we’ll ever see anyone, I don’t mean ever, but for a long time, we won’t see someone like Steph Curry.”
The highlight photo of Curry came on the last night of one of the most impressive trips he has taken in recent times. During the Warriors’ four-game swing through Dallas and San Antonio, Curry combined 149 points in four games and hit 25 to 50 beyond the arc. After a slow start to the season, Curry embraced the challenge of leading a team with few employees back into the postseason, a challenge that became even more difficult in Texas because the Warriors were playing without the big James Wiseman (pulse) and Kevon Looney (ankle)
“I am blessed to be healthy after last year,” said Curry. “And obviously, the way the season started with all kinds of comments, chatter and everything, I worked a lot in the off-season with rehab and I’m happy to play night after night … I feel strong, I feel in pace “I feel in complete control of my game. My strokes are falling. And it all comes with not only my own confidence, but also the growing confidence of our team in terms of how we’re trying to play. Win or lose, that familiarity.” and that comfort comes game after game, so this is important. I definitely feel stronger than I have ever been. I have a lot of energy, feeding on my guys and just trying to make moves. It’s a good vibe now. “
Curry is playing so well that Kerr reiterated what he said last week: He believes the 32-year-old point guard is playing the best basketball of his career.
“I think part of Steph’s brilliance is that he constantly surprises you to the point where you almost think it’s normal,” said Kerr. “I think, and maybe it’s circumstantial, given the injuries and the fact that he’s playing with a different group of guys – this is the best I’ve ever seen, just from the point of view of confidence and strength. And that says something obviously an MVP twice, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him looking better. “
It is a sentiment that Green shares, saying he also believes that his longtime teammate is playing “the best basketball of his career”. After all the frustration of parts of the fan base over the past few days over whether Kerr and the Warriors would allow Curry to play a few more minutes after the original 34-minute mark the team had set for him to average over the course of the season, a victory and Curry’s unbelievable game gave a good dose of happiness to a group that struggled to find consistency all year.
Kerr couldn’t help but smile again when asked if he had thought to stop Curry and Green from Tuesday’s game, after saying after Monday’s defeat in San Antonio that he would not sacrifice Curry’s minutes just to “chase wins “this season.
“We consider that,” said Kerr. “But I had heard a lot from our fan base in the past few days, I just decided, ‘You know what, I really should put them back to keep everyone happy.'”