Stunned, Stephen Curry stretched his arms out to the side and complained loudly to the referees. The word “foul” was clearly read from his lips. Curry’s outburst came late in the third quarter, the Golden State Warriors point guard just leveling the game against the Boston Celtics 73-73. While his three-point shot sank into the basket, Curry himself landed roughly on the ground. His opponent had pushed him in the back while attempting to throw, prompting him to vehemently demand a bonus free throw. There was no whistle from the referees.
It was one of Curry’s few moments of frustration in this fourth game of the NBA Finals series. The fact that he pocketed the ball despite body contact says a lot about the quality of the sniper. With 43 points, Curry was once again the outstanding player of his team, which ultimately won the game in Boston with 107:97.
Equal series: Stephen Curry (middle) scored 43 points against the Celtics and almost single-handedly decided the game.
(Photo: Kyle Terada/AP)
The end result sounds clearer than the course of the game actually was over long stretches – the lead changed back and forth eleven times alone. Only on the home stretch did the Golden State Warriors break away; On the one hand, this was due to the fact that the Celtics lost their offensive concept towards the end. Jayson Tatum’s team often used the crowbar to force difficult three-point attempts and thus only managed a meager three points on the scoreboard in the last six minutes or so. Oh yes, and then of course there was curry.
Boston’s defense can go all out on Curry – but they can’t stop him
The renewed dominance of the now 34-year-old is remarkable for two reasons. For one, Curry was playing with an injury. In the Celtics’ win two days ago, he and Boston center Al Horford dived for the ball just before the end, causing Horford’s body to roll over Curry’s left leg. The Warriors star cried out in pain and was clearly limping after the end of the game. There was great concern in San Francisco, after all, Curry had missed the last twelve games of the regular season because of a very similar scene in mid-March (oddly also against the Celtics). A good ten hours of sleep and several trips to the ice bin – this is how Curry described the treatment in the short break between games three and four. The finals are just the finals.
The other reason to be amazed was the Boston defense that Curry faced – which is the most uncomfortable for attackers this season in the NBA. Marcus Smart was even voted the best defender in the entire league. One would assume that the ring protectors and wing burrs would go all out for Curry in the Golden State clash. After all, his one co-star Klay Thompson is still looking for his former form and his other co-star Draymond Green (hardly a factor offensively anyway) has to worry mainly about not accumulating too many foul whistles. In fact, Smart and Co. stuck to Curry’s heels from the middle line at the latest, often doubling him with two defenders. But the three-pointer specialist moved so quickly and cleverly off the ball that he repeatedly came up with good shots and finished Boston more or less single-handedly.
From the middle line at the latest, the opponents were on his heels like burrs: Stephen Curry (left), here against Boston’s best defender Marcus Smart.
(Foto: Winslow Townson/AFP)
The Celtics, where Daniel Theis again spent the entire game on the bench, missed the chance of a 3-1 lead and a preliminary decision in the best-of-seven series. With two wins and two defeats in their luggage, both teams are now trying to secure the first match point towards the championship in San Francisco on Tuesday night.
NBA champion, best player of the season, world champion – but one title is missing from Curry’s collection
“I still feel like we could play a little bit better,” Curry said after the game. The fourth NBA title of his career beckons. Curry has received two MVP honors, has participated in eight All-Star Games, has won the top three-point shooter twice and is a two-time world champion with the USA. But he is still missing one award: In his previous NBA championships, it was not he but one of his teammates who was named the most valuable player in the finals series (Finals MVP) – an important individual honor in US basketball. Should the Golden State Warriors prevail against Boston, there is probably no way around Curry this year.
His trainer Steve Kerr should see it that way too. In a short interview after the first quarter of game four on the floor, he was asked what the reason for Stephen Curry’s strong performance was. Kerr grinned at the reporter and said, “He’s really good at basketball.”
