"The heart on that man is incredible; I think we take him for granted from time to time" - 5x All-Star from Golden State on Steph Curry's emotions after Game 4 of Finals, says he's shocked about Curry's absence from All-NBA First Team
Steph Curry put up his best scoring game of the 2022 NBA Playoffs at the right time for the Golden State Warriors. Curry brought up his third-highest career playoff scoring game as he dropped 43 points on 14-of-26 shooting (53.8%) from the field to help the Warriors tie their NBA Finals matchup against the Boston Celtics at 2-2.
Curry finished with 10 rebounds and shot 50.0% from long range (7-of-14) as the Warriors bested the Celtics 107-97 on Friday night at TD Garden.
Stephen Curry finished with 43 points & 10 rebounds in the Warriors' Game 4 win over the Celtics tonight.
At age 34 yrs-88 days, he is the 2nd-oldest player in NBA Finals history to record a 40-10 game behind only LeBron James in 2020 (at age 35 yrs-284 days). https://t.co/VvQtTyziuo
The 34-year-old Steph Curry was a consistent force for the Warriors throughout the game. He started the contest with 12 points in the first quarter and had 19 points at the half.
The eight-time All-Star added 14 more in the third period and then hit double digits (10) in the fourth period as he led the Warriors to a very important victory on the road and helped the team regain their homecourt advantage in the series.
Stephen Curry this Finals:
34.3 PPG (!)
6.3 RPG
3.8 APG
2.0 SPG
50.0 FG% (!!)
49.0 3P% (!!!)
Literally doing it all. https://t.co/LCfdi1wHA5
This was almost like a must-win game for Golden State, given that only one team has made a comeback from a 1-3 deficit to win the NBA Finals (2016 Cleveland Cavaliers). Additionally, given that there were doubts about Curry's health following his ankle injury in the dying minutes of Game 3, it only made his Game 4 performance extra memorable.
EVERY BUCKET 🎥
See every bucket of @StephenCurry's 43-point Game 4 performance to tie the #NBAFinals at 2-2! https://t.co/IQCxIEqWcm
Fellow teammate and five-time NBA All-Star Klay Thompson subsequently gushed over Curry's special night. Thompson told the media after finishing the game with 18 points:
"The heart on that man [Steph Curry] is incredible. I think we take him for granted from time to time. We gotta help him out on Monday. Wow."
Thompson also expressed his displeasure that a player of Curry's caliber didn't make it to the NBA's 2022 First Team selection (Curry made it the All-NBA Second Team). Thompson remarked on Curry's ommission from the First Team:
"Shocking he wasn't a First Team all NBA guy, but whatever. Maybe next year."
Klay Thompson on Steph Curry's emotions:
"The heart on that man is incredible. I think we take him for granted from time to time. We gotta help him out on Monday. Wow."
Then adds, "Shocking he wasn't a First Team all NBA guy, but whatever. Maybe next year."
Klay Thompson ranks Steph Curry's Game 4 performance as his best ever Finals game
The 32-year-old Thompson, who was right by Steph Curry's side during each of the latter's Finals performances, had no doubt that this was his fellow Splash Brother's best ever Finals game. Thompson stated unequivocally:
"I think No. 1. This was nearly a must win game. To shoot as efficiently as he did, grab 10 rebounds, and they're attacking him on defense. That man's conditioning is second-to-none."
Klay Thompson on where this ranks on Steph Curry's all-Time Finals games:
"I think No. 1. This was nearly a must win game. To shoot as efficiently as he did, grab 10 rebounds, and they're attacking him on defense. That man's conditioning is second-to-none."