Curry pours in career-high 62 as Warriors blast Blazers
Send a link to a friend
[January 04, 2021]
Stephen Curry exploded for 21 of
his career-high 62 points in the first quarter Sunday night, helping
the Golden State Warriors take a lead they never relinquished in a
137-122 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in San Francisco.
The game was a rematch of a 123-98 Trail Blazers win on Friday night
in a game also played at the 2-year-old Chase Center in San
Francisco.
Curry topped his previous high of 54 with two free throws with 2:23
to play.
He wasn't done. With the Warriors comfortably ahead, Curry bombed in
consecutive 27-footers, the second of which came with 42.2 seconds
left to cap his 62-point night.
The 50-point night was the NBA's first of the season, while the
60-pointer was the first for a Warrior since Klay Thompson had 60 in
2016.
The last Warrior to record more than 62 points in a game was Rick
Barry with 64 in 1974.
Curry's record-setting night came in the same game in which his
streak of consecutive free throws made, which dated back to last
season, ended at 80.
Damian Lillard was on hand for the performance, leading Portland
with 32 points.
Seeking their first win of the season, the Warriors trailed 9-2
before Curry hit three shots, including a 3-pointer, in a 17-3
flurry that gave Golden State the lead for good.
Curry had 31 points by halftime and 45 by the end of the third
period, during which the Warriors led by as many as 20.
The Trail Blazers, who were wrapping up a California swing in search
of a third win in four games, didn't go quietly. They closed within
eight on two occasions in the fourth quarter, the last time on two
free throws by Enes Kanter with still 2:53 to play.
[to top of second column]
|
Golden State Warriors
guard Stephen Curry (30) controls the ball against Portland Trail
Blazers forward Robert Covington (23) during the first quarter at
Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
But Andrew Wiggins hit a 3-pointer 17 seconds later, ending any
suspense other than Curry's final point total.
Curry finished 18-for-31 from the field overall and 8-for-16 on
3-pointers. He also shot 18-for-19 at the foul line.
Wiggins added 21 points, Kelly Oubre Jr. 17, James Wiseman 12 and
Eric Paschall 10 for the Warriors, who shot 55.7 percent.
CJ McCollum (28) and Kanter (24) backed Lillard for Portland, which
shot 41.8 percent. Anthony chipped in with 10 points.
Kanter was the game's leading rebounder with 12. The Warriors'
Wiseman also recorded a double-double with a team-high 11 rebounds.
--Field Level Media
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|