Stephen Curry joins exclusive club in delivering Golden State Warriors first win

After 50 points in Game 7 to send the Sacramento Kings home last postseason, Stephen Curry has again put Mike Brown’s men to bed with a 41-point masterclass to secure the Golden State Warriors their first win of the season.

In doing so, Curry has joined Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller as the only players in NBA history to back up a 40-point elimination game with another 40 piece in the next game against the same opposition.

Stephen Curry has led the Golden State Warriors have moved to a big 122-114 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on Friday night.

After holding an 18-point lead in the fourth-quarter, the Warriors had to fight off a Kings fightback that saw the margin reduced to five with just over a minute to play. It was Curry though who capped his dominant night with a wing three to put the game beyond doubt.

Andrew Wiggins clearly came out with a point to prove after a lethargic season opener against the Suns, scoring six of the Warriors first eight points and racking up three rebounds in his opening half a dozen minutes.

Golden State found a 13-7 start through the first four and a half minutes, but from their the offense stifled to a near standstill. That was particularly the case when Curry sat, with the Warriors scoring just 11 points in seven minutes with the two-time MVP on the bench.

Curry’s return rejuvenated the visitors though, sparking an extended run that saw them overcome a double-digit deficit. When Klay Thompson made a smart extra pass to Jonathan Kuminga for a corner three to close the half, Golden State had a 60-57 lead.

The Kings begun the third on a 5-0 run, before the two teams went back-and-forth across the opening minutes. Curry then sought to seperate the sides again with another eruption, opening  up a double-digit lead for the Warriors with 16 third-quarter points to give him 34 for the game.

Chris Paul ensured the non-Curry minutes wouldn’t go by the wayside again, orchestrating the offense methodically as the likes of Thompson and Moses Moody took advantage. After 40 points in the third-quarter against the Suns on Tuesday, the Warriors put up another 39 against the Kings as Paul notched up his 10th assist without a turnover.

The NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year, De’Aaron Fox, ignited a Sacramento comeback as part of his 39 points on the night, but it was ultimately too little too late with Curry sending Kings fans home disappointed once again.

Curry’s 41 came on a ridiculous 14-19 shooting, including 7-10 from three-point range. The 35-year-old was supported by Thompson who had an efficient 18 points on 7-12 shooting, while Paul recorded his first double-double as a Warrior with 10 points and 12 assists. Kevon Looney did an admirable job on Domantas Sabonis yet again, recording eight points, 12 rebounds, six assists, three steals and a block in 28 minutes.

Youngsters Kuminga and Moody continued their strong impression off the bench, each playing over 21 minutes. Kuminga had 12 points, five rebounds and was a +9 in the game, while Moody continued his hot shooting with 10 points on 4-5 from the floor to go with three rebounds and three steals.

After an historically disastrous shooting night against Phoenix on Tuesday, Golden State found their rhythm in finishing 55.2% from the floor and 43.8% (14-32) from three-point range. Sacramento, in contrast, shot just 43.6% from the field and 30% from deep.

The Warriors move to 1-1 on the season heading into a back-to-back against the Houston Rockets and New Orleans Pelicans starting on Sunday.