Steph Curry stats tonight: Superstar endures quiet game as Jimmy Butler injury headlines Game 2 loss for Warriors (Apr. 23)
The Golden State Warriors matched up against the Houston Rockets in Game 2 of their first-round series on Wednesday. Coming into the matchup, the Warriors had already stolen home-court advantage with a Game 1 victory on the road. Golden State rolled out their usual starting lineup featuring Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski.
Curry struggled to find his rhythm in Game 2, but his task was made even tougher without the support of his running mate, Jimmy Butler, who exited in the first quarter with a pelvic injury. Ultimately, Golden State fell 109-94, allowing the Rockets to even the series at 1-1.
In the end, Curry finished with 20 points on 6 of 15 from the floor, including 4 of 9 from beyond the arc, and 4 of 4 from the free throw line. He recorded five rebounds, nine assists, one steal and one block in 37:20 minutes.
Steph Curry through 4 quarters
From the opening tip, Curry was relentlessly pressured by the Rockets' defense. Nearly every possession saw the superstar point guard met with intense resistance as he crossed half court, with Houston ramping up their defensive aggression compared to Game 1.
The four-time NBA champion was initially quiet, taking just two shots in the first eight minutes and converting on, which was a 3-pointer. As the Rockets began to threaten with an early double-digit lead, Curry responded with increased aggression, attempting two more shots in the final four minutes of the quarter and connecting on one of them.
The second quarter was quickly unraveling for the Warriors after both Jimmy Butler and Brandin Podziemski were forced to exit the game due to their respective injuries. With the team shorthanded, the responsibility fell squarely on Steph Curry's shoulders. Though he got off to a slow start in the quarter, Curry stepped up late, sinking two crucial 3-pointers heading into halftime.
At half time, Steph Curry had 11 points on 4 of 8 shooting, including 3 of 5 from beyond the arc. He also recorded one rebound, five assists and one block.
The Rockets continued to chip away in the third quarter and game gradually slipped out of the Warriors' grasp. Despite Curry’s efforts to rally his team, the absence of Jimmy Butler and a limited Podziemski made it clear that Golden State was facing an uphill battle.
Curry did his best to keep the Warriors afloat, attempting five shots in the penultimate period and converting two, but the odds were stacked against them.
The Warriors mounted a brief rally in the fourth quarter, trimming the deficit to 11 points. However, the Rockets quickly extinguished any hopes of a Golden State comeback with a decisive 7-0 run. Curry’s only contribution to the scoreboard in the final period came from the free-throw line, where he sank a single shot.