Stephen Curry marked his 36th birthday with a triumphant return to the court, guiding the Golden State Warriors to a crucial victory against the Los Angeles Lakers.
After sitting out the previous three games due to a sprained right ankle, Curry showcased his brilliance by tallying 31 points in the Warriors’ 128-121 win on Saturday night, a game that held significant implications for the Western Conference standings.
“Steph is Steph. He’s just amazing,” praised coach Steve Kerr. “He got off to a slow start, but he never worries and we never worry. What he does is open the floor for everyone else.”
With the win, the Warriors climbed above the Lakers into ninth place in the West, positioning themselves favorably in the playoff picture. If the season concluded on Saturday, they would face the Lakers in the play-in tournament, a scenario they hope to avoid by climbing higher in the standings.
“I was excited just to be back. You understand the ramifications down the stretch. Every game, especially against teams jumbled right there in the play-in, matters,” remarked Curry, who delivered an impressive performance with 12 of 24 shooting from the field, along with six rebounds and five assists.
Klay Thompson contributed 26 points off the bench, while Jonathan Kuminga added 23, capitalizing on the absence of Lakers’ star Anthony Davis, who exited the game after the first quarter due to an eye injury.
The Warriors capitalized on Davis’ absence by dominating inside, outrebounding the Lakers and enjoying a significant advantage in points in the paint.
Despite a valiant effort from LeBron James, who notched 40 points for the Lakers, a critical replay review nullified a pivotal three-pointer by James in the final minutes, stalling their comeback attempt.
“We dig back into it, and make a big shot. Guys are scrambling, competing and then boom, everything just stops. So it just took the rhythm out of the game,” lamented Lakers coach Darvin Ham.
