OAKLAND, Calif. _ With one quick dribble, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry split two defenders. With one quick pullup, Curry drained a mid-range jumper.
The moment captured Curry becoming the fifth player in Warriors franchise history to eclipse 14,000 career points. The rest of the Warriors' 126-113 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday at Oracle Arena captured what has made Curry and the franchise he plays for so special.
While Curry had 25 points on 9-of-14 shooting, the Warriors (39-10) led by as many 16 points because of a quick-strike offense that involved so many others and set a season-high in 3-pointers made (20-of-33). For the first time in his 11-year NBA career, Warriors forward Kevin Durant posted a triple double in points (28) assists (11) and rebounds while shooting 10-of-19 from the field and a season-high 6-of-9 from 3-point range. Klay Thompson spent little time holding onto the ball because he was too busy burying them in the basket en route to 25 points while 9-of-13 shooting from the field and a season-high 7-of-9 from the perimeter.
Warriors forward Andre Iguodala posted 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting in what marked a rare breakout performance after spending most of the season struggling with his shooting accuracy. Warriors center Zaza Pachulia added nine points in his 1,000th career game. It turns out everyone that wears a Warriors jersey can shoot the ball well, including fans that toss under-handed shots in promo contests. The Warriors did all of this after not having morning shootaround, which is customary for most NBA teams.
As for Curry? He simply had another game that explains how he joined Paul Arizin, Rick Barry, Wilt Chamberlain and Chris Mullin to join the 14,000 scoring club.
"In many ways Steph is our franchise," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said beforehand. "When people think of the Warriors, they think Steph."
Kerr then noted how several NBA fans around the world wear Curry's jersey, including when the Warriors went on a pre-season trip to China. Kerr said he envisioned the same thing as the Phoenix Suns' general manager, hoping he could select Curry in the 2009 NBA draft. Unfortunately for the Suns, they had the 14th pick while Golden State had the seventh pick.
Two NBA championships, a franchise record in 3-point shots and over 14,000 points later, and Curry basically spearheaded the Warriors' offensive machine that cannot be stopped.
"He also embodies what we're about in terms of the style of play and the joy with which our players play the game. Everybody connects to Steph," Kerr said. "Nobody knew he was going to be MVP. But you could tell people would connect with him because he looks like you or me. He's a normal looking guy. Yet he has this electric skill and amazing personality. Throw all that stuff together and he's the face of the franchise."
