Kavin Mistry/Getty Images Steph Curry
Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry had a huge performance in the team’s 122-108 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday night. Curry poured in 40 points and dished out 9 assists, but the most encouraging part was his shooting.
Curry shot 7-for-14 from three and 13-for-23 from the field. The performance rounded out one of the worst shooting months of his career. In January Curry shot just 32.9% from three and 38.5% from the field. With his recent struggles, the Warriors and head coach Steve Kerr decided to do something different last night.
Steve Kerr Mixing It Up
With Curry playing well, Kerr decided to deviate from his usual rotation of resting Curry in the middle of the fourth quarter and instead let him continue to play. Kerr was rewarded as Curry poured in 21 points in the fourth quarter. He scored 21 of the team’s final 28 points to close out the Rockets.
“When he gets going, the game is his,” Kerr said after the game. “And we just kind of let him do what he wants to do. If we see something, we might call a play during a timeout. But he was just going, and guys did a good job of setting screens and spacing the floor, and he got loose.”
According to Curry, he was too in the zone to even ask about staying in the game.
“No, I wasn’t thinking about it at all,” Curry said. “I knew — tonight was one of those that I know how I have been playing and how I have been shooting and all that. I had it going, so it would have been not a welcome sight to see somebody come get me on the substitution right then. It was the right call for sure. I won that one tonight.”
End of the Slump?
While Kerr’s decision last night paid immediate dividends, the Warriors are hoping it has big benefits beyond just last night. It’s no secret that Curry has been in a massive shooting slump by his standards, so the Warriors are hoping that last night’s performance is the end of Curry’s recent struggles.
Stephen Curry tonight:
40 points
9 assists
5 rebounds
13/23 FG
7/14 3PT
7/8 FT
No more slump 🔥
Beyond last night’s performance from Curry, there are reasons to think his shooting is on the way back up. Over his last three games, Curry has shot 47.1% from three and 45.9% from the field. Those numbers are much better he shot for most of the month. On top of that Curry averaged 29.3 points per game during that stretch, much higher than the 22.3 points he averaged throughout January.
Curry’s recent improved play also comes during a great stretch of play for the Warriors. The team has won seven of their last eight games and are currently 38-13 with the second-best record in the NBA. During the recent hot streak, the Warriors’ offense has returned to its usual form for the first time since Draymond Green’s absence. There’s also been the return of Klay Thompson to help Curry.
The Warriors have averaged 113 points per game over the last eight games and have an average margin of victory of 8.1 points. With Curry’s recent play and the Warriors’ offense rounding into form, maybe it means that his slump is over, but only time will tell.