"He's humble off the floor and arrogant on the floor" - Steve Kerr highlights Steph Curry's team-first outlook and willingness to come off the bench
Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry came off the bench for the second time in their first-round playoff series against the Denver Nuggets.
This time, the results were even more catastrophic for the Nuggets. After scoring 16 points as a reserve in Game 1, Curry torched Denver for 34 points in just 23 minutes of game time on Monday.
The 34-year-old superstar's scintillating game resulted in an emphatic 126-106 victory for the Dubs.
Dropped 34 in 23 minutes off the bench ⚡️
@googlecloud || Player of the Game https://t.co/V9vQz37BTQ
This is just the fourth time in the postseason and the 10th time overall that Curry has come off the bench in his 13-year NBA career. He shot 12-of-17 (71%) from the field, the highest FG % of his playoff career.
Curry's Game 2 display was the first time he scored 30-plus points in fewer than 25 minutes (regular season or playoffs). It was the 48th time he played 25 minutes or less in his career.
Wow. Steph Curry shot 12-17 (71%) from the field, the highest FG % of his playoff career. It's the first time in his career he scored 30+ points in fewer than 25 minutes (regular season or playoffs) even though it was the 48th time he played 25 minutes or less. H/t @ESPNStatsInfo
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was full of praise for Curry's showing at Chase Center, which now has the Denver Nuggets trailing 0-2 in the best-of-seven series.
Kerr told the media that there was no sales pitch to convince Curry to accept a bench role. He remarked:
"He's humble off the floor and arrogant on the floor... It's very matter-of-fact with Steph."
Steve Kerr said there was no sales pitch on convincing Steph Curry to accept a bench role. Kerr: "He's humble off the floor and arrogant on the floor." Kerr added, "it's very matter-of-fact with Steph."
"There's no better feeling than this" - Steph Curry after Golden State Warriors make it to the playoffs after three years
During Game 2, Steph Curry shot 5-of-10 (50.0%) from downtown to get to his 34 points. He became the only player in the shot clock era to score 30-plus points in 23 minutes or less of play during a playoff game.
Curry also had four assists and three rebounds as he finished the game with an overall plus-minus of plus 32.
The only player in the shot clock era to score 30+ points in 23 minutes or less of play during a Playoff game:
Stephen Curry https://t.co/8l1im5K2i1
Curry is putting up these numbers, having missed the last month of the regular season because of an injury.
Speaking to the media after Golden State took a 2-0 lead versus Denver, Steph Curry said:
"I'm blessed to get back at this time. It was a long four-and-a-half weeks and, obviously, Game 1 was the go. A lot of hard work went into it and like you said, to be in this moment, in this environment after two years - absence from the playoffs - it means a lot."
"It's all we work for. I keep telling myself and my teammates on the bench, there's no better feeling than this. Just that fight, the competitiveness, the atmosphere here, it means a lot."
Steph after another playoff win: "There's no better feeling than this" https://t.co/lz9B1Csxp1