A quick look at the box score might lead one to believe that Stephen Curry dominated for the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night and, in many ways, it was an incredible performance for the two-time NBA MVP. Steph dropped a team-high 33 points and added eight assists and four steals during his team’s Game 4 loss to the Nuggets on April 24.
However, he also made just three of his 11 attempts from deep and the Dubs were minus-four when he was on the floor. The thing that really sticks in his craw, though, is the fact that he missed four free throws during the contest.
“Missed free throws, I hate it. It’s the worst feeling in the world because it’s what I really do well,” Curry said postgame.
Clearly, though, the letdown wasn’t on him, as Golden State fell short in multiple phases of the game. Moreover, Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets went all out to avoid getting swept and the Warriors failed to match their energy in the early going. Nevertheless, Steph was impressed by the way in which his team battled back.
Curry Sounds off on the Loss
After trailing by as many as 17 and playing at a deficit for the majority of the contest, the Warriors were able to battle back and take a 121-119 lead with 1:21 remaining in the contest. As Curry sees it, the comeback effort was a testament to the team’s grit.
“The fact that we had a lead with a minute and a half just speaks to who we are,” he said during a postgame interview while admitting that it was “kind of a miracle at that point.” He still understands that the club has a lot to clean up, though.
“It’s the type of fouls that we committed that were kind of boneheaded, killed the momentum. Especially when they were making a bunch of threes on top of bad fouls, free throws; it’s really hard to get over the hump,” Curry said. “We know we can play better, we can take some stuff away from them, control the game a little bit better and that’s what we want to do [in] Game 5, finish out the series.”
Steph also believes the loss could be something of a refresher course for the Warriors.
“It’s a reminder of how hard it is to win at this level, the importance of every possession and the things that you can control if you’re trying to get where you want to go,” he said. “You gotta assume, as you go through the playoffs, it’s not just going to be a smooth ride.”
The latest Golden State Warriors news straight to your inbox! Heavy on Warriors newsletter here!
Curry Updates His Injury Status
While the Warriors lost and Curry wasn’t his usual sterling self as a shooter, he was able to play 37 minutes in the contest, which is huge given that he’s still finding his form after taking a month off with a foot injury. To that end, the baller was pleased by what he was able to accomplish on Sunday.
“Everything I’ve been doing has progressed in the right direction,” Steph said. “It felt great to finish the third quarter and play the whole fourth quarter and not get fatigued at all. My wind was solid, so I’m excited about where I’m at, and I’m looking forward to next game.”
READ NEXT:
Comments
Warriors’ Stephen Curry Gets Brutally Honest About Game 4 Letdown