The Golden State Warriors couldn’t afford a misstep, and Curry put them on stable footing. He recorded 43 factors and 10 rebounds because the Warriors evened the NBA Finals at two video games apiece with a 107-97 victory over the host Boston Celtics in Game 4 on Friday evening.
The output was Curry’s second-best effort in NBA Finals play. His excessive of 47 occurred in Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals in opposition to the Toronto Raptors.
Longtime teammate Klay Thompson stated the hassle was the most effective within the playoffs of Curry’s profession.
Best of Express PremiumPremiumPremiumPremiumPremium
“I don’t rate my performances,” the 34-year-old Curry stated. “I simply need to win the sport. …
“For the most part, I didn’t think of (the foot). It doesn’t take up too much mental space. I felt like I could do what I wanted on the court.”
Curry made 14 of 26 field-goal makes an attempt — together with 7 of 14 from 3-point vary — whereas shifting with ease on the left foot he injured late in Game 3. Curry is averaging 34.3 factors within the collection and has made 25 of 51 3-point makes an attempt.
“Steph has carried us through so many lulls,” Thompson stated. “Come Game 5, we’re going to have to help him out. Asking him to score 43 nightly is ridiculous. It’s just special to watch what he does. He does it so often that you kind of take it for granted. But I’m mesmerized just like the rest of the crowd was. It looks effortless.”
It was clear when Curry scored 12 factors within the opening quarter that the foot wasn’t an issue. Boston’s Al Horford induced the damage when he fell on Curry in Game 3.
“He was incredible,” Warriors ahead Draymond Green stated. “He put us on his back and willed us to a win in a game that we had to have. He came out and showed why he is one of the best players to ever play this game.”
Thompson scored 18 factors and Andrew Wiggins contributed 17 factors and a career-high 16 rebounds for the Warriors. Jordan Poole added 14 factors for Golden State, which completed the sport with a dominating 17-3 burst over the ultimate 5 minutes.
Jayson Tatum had 23 factors, 11 rebounds, six assists and three blocked pictures for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown scored 21 factors, Marcus Smart added 18, Derrick White had 16 and Robert Williams III collected 12 rebounds for Boston.
Game 5 within the best-of-seven collection is Monday at San Francisco.
Tatum felt that Boston missed out on a giant alternative by letting a late lead slip away.
“You have to give them credit, they hit some big shots,” Tatum stated. “We obviously felt like we had put ourselves in position to win the game, and there are a lot of things we wish we had done differently.”
Celtics coach Ime Udoka famous that his membership is in acquainted territory.
“We’ve had to do it the difficult way, we’re battle-tested,” Udoka stated. “It could have been an easier road if we get the win tonight.”
Smart drained a 3-pointer to provide Boston a 94-90 lead with 5:18 remaining, however the Warriors answered with 10 consecutive factors.
Wiggins scored on a putback, Thompson hit a 3-pointer and Curry sank a floater for a 97-94 edge with 3:49 to play.
Neither group scored for greater than two minutes earlier than Curry buried his seventh 3-pointer to make it a six-point margin with 1:42 to go.
Horford ended the Celtics’ drought by hitting a 3-pointer with 1:32 left. However, Golden State’s Kevon Looney made a layup with 1:04 to play and Curry sank 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to seal it.
“I think we got a little stagnant,” White stated of the late-game troubles. “Everybody was standing around looking at whoever had the ball. No player movement, no ball movement. We have to do a better job executing down the stretch.”
Golden State made 44 p.c of its pictures and was 15 of 43 (34.9 p.c) from behind the arc. Looney grabbed 11 boards for the Warriors, who logged a 55-42 rebounding benefit.
The Celtics shot 40 p.c from the sphere, together with 15 of 38 (39.5 p.c) from 3-point vary.
Tatum had 16 factors because the Celtics led 54-49 at halftime. Curry had 19 earlier than the break for the Warriors.
Curry scored 14 factors within the third quarter and made 4 3-pointers, the final one giving Golden State a 79-78 edge with 58.5 seconds left within the stanza.