SAN ANTONIO — The evening for Stephen Curry, the Warriors’ standout, commenced with a pair of Kobe 6’s. The athlete, recently a sneaker free agent, sported these during the pregame routines, signaling to the apparel industry his availability for endorsement deals.
“A fresh start,” he announced.
However, Curry’s night culminated in his signature footwear and in a familiar scenario: positioned at the free throw line, the game’s outcome hanging in the balance, the opposing arena’s roar echoing in his ears.
Swish. Swish. Curry successfully executed both shots, concluding a 49-point performance that spurred the Warriors to a narrow 109-108 victory over the Spurs.
“I have no doubts about his ability to make those shots,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr remarked regarding Curry’s free throws. “I believe everyone anticipates success.”
Trailing by a single point and advancing swiftly, Curry successfully drew De’Aaron Fox into a reaching foul with merely 6.4 seconds remaining. As he deliberately moved back toward the line, Victor Wembanyama, the opposing team’s key player of the night, addressed a louder section of the Spurs’ supporters, urging them to create more noise, potentially unsettling Curry and causing a miss.
“Certainly,” Curry confirmed when asked if he noticed Wembanyama’s actions. “I engaged with it.”
In between the free throws, Curry approached the crowd, even closer, mocking Wembanyama and pleading with the crowd to amplify their volume. Subsequently, he stepped back, successfully made the second free throw, and – following a defensive halt of Fox at the buzzer – secured the Warriors’ consecutive win in San Antonio, marking his second consecutive stellar showing.
Earlier that week, Curry amassed 46 points in a more definitive victory against the Spurs, accruing a significant portion of his points from the free throw line. That evening, Curry converted 15 of 16 attempts from the line, and his current season record stands at 66 of 70, positioning him to potentially lead the league in free throw percentage for the sixth instance in his career.
Prior to the competition on Friday, Curry was informed that he had achieved 40-plus points in a game for the 43rd time following his 30th birthday, trailing only Michael Jordan’s league record of 44.
Consequently, when Curry executed a fourth-quarter 3-pointer – one of his nine successful 3-point shots on Friday night – to surpass the 40-point threshold, he raised a “2” and a “3” with his fingers while retreating down the court, paying homage to Jordan for matching his record.
“I did execute it in reverse, though,” Curry admitted. “That marks the second occurrence of that. However, it remains a remarkable achievement from an individual standpoint. Longevity is something I deeply value.”
This occasion represented the first instance since 2022 in which Curry scored 40-plus points in consecutive games, a timely occurrence for the previously struggling Warriors, who had endured six consecutive road losses prior to arriving in San Antonio.
Curry had recently been sidelined for three games due to an illness and underperformed with an inefficient 13-point showing in his initial game upon returning on Tuesday, visibly laboring for breath during the latter half of a decisive loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, his stamina swiftly recovered. Curry appeared revitalized in both victories against the Spurs. According to GeniusIQ, Curry accumulated 28 of his Friday night points through off-the-dribble jumpers, marking his highest total in a game since 2015.
Subsequently, he attributed some credit to a morning address from Kerr.
“He rarely discusses his experiences in Chicago,” Curry commented. “He drew parallels between their team’s methodology and identity and the collaborative nature of a band. He mentioned lead singers, bassists, acoustic and electric guitarists, drummers, stagehands, and individuals connecting the speakers. He likened his role to slightly above that of the speaker connector.”
Curry acknowledged his role as the lead performer on this particular evening, generating attention with his pregame footwear selection and subsequently silencing the crowd with his on-court demonstration.
