Stephen Curry’s late takeover propels Warriors past Mavericks

SAN FRANCISCO – Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry made Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II big as the game clock ticked down just under 30 seconds.

He danced his way to the top of the 3-point line, created just enough space to get a shot up and fired it. When the bucket went in, Curry ran back and hit his signature “Night Night” celebration before shoving Buddy Hield across the chest.

But Curry didn’t stop there. He walked toward the crowd, grabbed his jersey proudly emblazoned with the words “Golden State,” and yelled into a TV camera.

Immediately after the game, Curry said he couldn’t remember what words came out of his mouth. But after rewatching the play, Curry told ESPN, “You better stay here.”

A smile spread across his face as he remembered it.

“Those type of moments with all that anxiety, it was raw emotion,” Curry said.

This was the dagger that lifted the Warriors over the Mavericks 120-117 on Tuesday night in Klay Thompson’s first game back since leaving Golden State over the summer after 13 years with the franchise.

“When you see him with that type of emotion, everybody else just falls in line,” Draymond Green said of Curry. “I try to lead in that category. But when he’s up like that, I just move to the side and let him do his thing and then support.”

Curry scored 23 of his season-high 37 points in the second half. All of his 12 fourth-quarter points came in the final four minutes, erasing a six-point deficit in a game the Warriors eventually won by three.

“Good job, Steph,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said when asked what he thought while watching Curry’s rush. “I’ve been watching this for a long time and it never gets old. It’s incredible to watch him. It really is. You just think every shot is going to go in and he loves it. He loves the moment.”

With 2:40 left, Green set a screen to free Curry from Luka Doncic’s side. Daniel Gafford tried to close in on him, but it was too late; Curry knocked down the 28-foot 3-pointer.

Seventy seconds later, Curry drove in and hit a scoop runner. Then with 25 seconds left came the 3 that prompted the “Natnat” move. With the Warriors up by just three, Curry admitted it was risky to pull off the celebration at that moment.

“I almost pulled a Si Woo Kim,” Curry said, referring to the golfer who used taunts during the Presidents Cup golf tournament on the 16th hole.

On the next play, Dallas’ Quentin Grimes hit a 3 over Curry to make it a one-point game with 20 seconds left.

“It was a little early, but luckily I’m still undefeated on ‘Night Night,'” Curry said.

Curry finished the night 14-of-27 from the floor, including 5-of-12 from 3. He also recorded nine rebounds and two steals.

The Warriors controlled the game best in the first and third quarters as they felt they gained momentum and ultimately rushed their decision making. To be more decisive, the Warriors relied more on pick-and-rolls down the stretch and tried to either pull Lively outside to then score in the paint, find kick-out shots or take pull-up 3s if they presented themselves.

“I think we should have done a better job of guarding him,” Doncic said. “But it’s Steph Curry, so sometimes there’s nothing you can do.”

“It hurts to be on the other side of one of his storms,” ​​Thompson added. “Guy got hot at the end and made some ridiculous shots. I know I’ve been on the other end and it stinks.”