Getty Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors reacts after the play in the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Chase Center on January 29, 2022 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry had a monster game against the New York Knicks Thursday night, but one play in particular stood out above the rest.
The Warriors were down eight points to the Knicks with less than three minutes on the clock in the fourth quarter at Chase Center in San Francisco February 10. Curry brought the ball up the court and received a screen above the free throw line. Knicks Second-Team All-NBA forward Julius Randle switched onto Curry as a result of the pick, who wasted little time driving to his left toward the baseline.
Curry gained a step on Randle and cut an angle to the hoop. That’s when Knicks shooting guard Quentin Grimes left his man to an effort to double-team Curry. The Golden State point guard then made a halting move back the way he came that froze Grimes and dropped Randle to the hardwood, clearing the way for an uncontested layup at the hoop. Bleacher Report tweeted out video of Curry’s ankle-breaking move Thursday.
Steph dropped Randle 😳😳😳
“Steph dropped Randle 😳😳😳,” Bleacher Report tweeted as a caption to the video.
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Curry’s Shooting Woes Continue in Stellar Showing Against Knicks
Kavin Mistry/GettyGolden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry looks up at the referees after being fouled during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Despite Curry’s spectacular play on Randle, the Dubs went down for the second consecutive game following a long winning streak.
Curry put up 35 points, dished out 10 assists and grabbed 2 rebounds against the Knicks Thursday, but Golden State still came up a couple of points shy, losing the game by a score of 116-114. Though Curry’s counting statistics were impressive, his shooting efficiency continued to suffer as it has for much of this season. The Dubs point guard shot just 11-for-25 from the field (44%), as well as 5-for-16 from behind the 3-point line (31%).
For the year, Curry is shooting just 42.2% from the field and 38% from deep, per Basketball Reference. The 3-point mark is a career low and nearly 5 percentage points below his career average of 42.8% from downtown. His overall shooting is the second-lowest mark of his career, ahead of only the 2019-20 campaign, during which Curry played only five games before suffering a broken left hand against the Phoenix Suns that ultimately sidelined him for the rest of that season.
Warriors Drop Two Consecutive Games After Long Winning Streak
GettyGolden State Warriors star Stephen Curry (right) and head coach Steve Kerr (left) look on during a game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Golden State’s loss to New York on Thursday was the team’s second straight defeat in as many nights. The Utah Jazz handed the Dubs their worst defeat of the season, a 26-point blowout in Salt Lake City the night before. Curry put up just 13 shot attempts in that contest, making only five of them and scoring just 16 points.
The back-to-back losses represented a break from the norm for the Warriors, to say the least, as the defeats came on the heels of a nine-game win streak that stretched all the way back to January 21. Golden State earned those victories despite one of the worst shooting months of Curry’s career and the absence of defensive superstar Draymond Green from the lineup since January 9 with back and calf issues.
The Warriors, still sitting in second place in the Western Conference with a win/loss record of 41-15, will have a chance to get back on track with a home game Friday night against LeBron James and the reeling Los Angeles Lakers.