There have been some magnificent performances to start the 2022 NBA Playoffs but no player has looked better than Golden State Warriors‘ Stephen Curry.
Under peculiar circumstances, Curry wasted no time making his case for the “greatest sixth man of all time.” It had been weeks since Steph played in an NBA game — years since he competed in the playoffs.
This did not stop Curry from dominating his matchup with the Denver Nuggets.
Stephen Curry has appeared to be the best player in the NBA through his round one performance for the Golden State Warriors.
Curry poured in a cool 16 points in 21 minutes during his first game back. It was Game 2, however, where Curry served a not-so-subtle reminder as to the type of player he is. The two-time MVP scored 34 points (12-of-17shooting) in 22 minutes of playing time.
From here, the minutes restriction was eased. Curry played 30 minutes in Game 3, scoring 27 points in a tight victory over a Nuggets team desperate to fall into a 3-0 pit.
By Game 4, all bets were off as Curry was able to play 36 minutes, roughly equal to his usual playoff load. Still coming off the bench, Curry scored 33 points, dished 8 assists and totaled 4 steals in a painful loss.
The only thing Curry had been missing at this point was his starting position and his typical efficiency from deep. In games 3-4, Curry shot just 6-of-20 from deep.
This would be resolved in the series-wrapping Game 5. Curry erupted for three consecutive 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to lead a rally for the Warriors, who trailed by double-digits in the second half before a pair of Curry layups sealed the deal in the final minutes.
Though his role was limited in an odd way due to a minutes restriction and Jordan Poole’s emergence, Curry concluded round one with averages of 28.0 points and 5.4 assists on 50% shooting from the floor and 40% from deep (30 minutes per game).
Other players such as Jayson Tatum and of course, Nikola Jokic, deserve credit for their fantastic performances in round one of the playoffs. Yet, Curry is without a doubt leading the race as his numbers will only improve as he becomes fully unleashed from his previous injury.