Stephen Curry proved at age 38 that he remains capable of extraordinary offensive feats, scoring 44 points to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 119-114 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. This performance included a critical 17-point stretch in just six minutes and a deep 31-foot three-pointer. The win, however, came as the Timberwolves played their first game since learning star Anthony Edwards would require knee surgery.
Curry's 40-point outing was the first of his season and placed him in exclusive company with LeBron James. It marked Curry's 15th game with 40 or more points since reaching the age of 35, a threshold where he now ties James for the most such games in NBA history.
"I just see him doing what Steph Curry does," head coach Steve Kerr commented after the game. "I’ve been watching him for so long that it never surprises me when he gets hot. What makes him special is it can happen at any time."
After an initially slow start to the game, Curry found his rhythm in the second quarter, draining his first three-pointer about three minutes in. He followed with another on the subsequent possession, energizing the Warriors' bench. This surge led to a 19-point second quarter for Curry and helped Golden State establish a 64-48 halftime lead.
Despite building a lead that extended to 78-54 in the third quarter, the Warriors relied on Curry to maintain their advantage against a shorthanded Minnesota team. He contributed significantly from the free-throw line, scoring 16 of his points there, including 12 in the second half to help fend off the Timberwolves. This performance marked the first time in his career, spanning 1,073 games, that Curry made all 16 of his free-throw attempts.
"They were pressuring pretty much all the way out to half court, so you’re gonna have those driving lanes," Curry said. "Thankfully it helped us in a couple lulls that we had, getting to the line, getting easy buckets, which we needed all of them."
Curry also demonstrated his enduring athleticism by diving for a loose ball early in the second half, narrowly avoiding a collision with the Hornets' LaMelo Ball. Curry indicated this willingness to make such plays reflects his current physical condition.
"I think that’s just more indicative of how good I feel, considering the age and miles and how last year went that I even tried it, I had a confidence that I could get down there," Curry stated. "There’s situations where you find yourself in where you’re just playing basketball and reacting, and that’s one of those."
Curry exited the game with the Warriors leading 100-87 and just over nine minutes remaining, having already secured his 40-point total. He played 32 minutes and 25 seconds, marking his first game this season exceeding the 32-minute restriction imposed by the team's training staff as they manage his ramp-up following a season limited by injuries. He had missed 27 games the previous season due to a knee injury.
"I honestly didn’t know until after the game, which was nice that we were just kind of in the moment, playing," Curry said. "A little different flow to it when I got hot in the second, had to play a little bit of a longer stretch. So it’s nice to keep building and feel good coming out of it."