The Golden State Warriors came agonizingly close to making Sunday night at Chase Center everything they had hoped for. Stephen Curry scored 29 points in 26 minutes, orchestrated a stunning fourth-quarter comeback from 14 down, and had a deep three at the buzzer to win it.
It missed. Golden State fell 117-116 to the Houston Rockets.
After the game, Curry sat down with reporters and was as open and honest as he has ever been about what the night meant.
Curry Reveals He Was a Nervous Wreck Before the Game
GettyStephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
Before a single shot was taken, Curry was already battling something. The hours leading up to tip-off on Easter Sunday were filled with nerves that even his family noticed at home.
“There were a lot of nerves all day,” Curry said. “My family supported me at home when I was a nervous wreck trying to pass the hours before I get to the arena.”
He connected the moment to something bigger than basketball. Easter Sunday, he said, gave the night a different kind of meaning after everything he had been through over the past two months.
“This Easter Sunday, Resurrection Sunday, this has been a special day to reflect and appreciate what I get to do every day, the gifts God’s given me to be healthy, fight through this rehab stint, and be able to get back to the court and enjoy myself,” Curry said.
Once he arrived at Chase Center and settled into his routine, the nerves faded. Muscle memory took over. The crowd’s reception did the rest.
“I appreciate the fans and the reception, and just the buzz that was in the arena,” Curry said. “At a certain point, you won’t be able to tap into that. So, very grateful.”
How Curry’s Return Unfolded for the Warriors
Curry came off the bench to manage his minutes, entering with 4:54 left in the first quarter to a standing ovation. His first two possessions produced a travel and a blocked shot. He was unbothered by either.
“After I traveled and got my shot blocked the first two possessions, I kinda settled in nice,” Curry said. “First run was tough, second run was great.”
From there, the night built steadily. Seven points in the final six minutes of the second quarter. Eleven in the third. Eleven more in seven fourth-quarter minutes that had Chase Center on its feet. He finished 11-of-21 from the field and 5-of-10 from three.
Curry described the challenge of returning not as a matter of rust but endurance, picking his spots rather than going full throttle throughout.
“It’s not that much rust as it’s the endurance,” Curry said. “You’re kind of picking and choosing a little bit of your spots to maintain. It’s not like you’re going 100 miles an hour the whole time. You do all the training and scrimmages and all that type of stuff, it’s more like getting back familiar with the speed of the game, the physicality, and just embracing it.”
Steve Kerr offered his own assessment of what he witnessed.
“I don’t think there’s a tougher defender in the league for him to have his first game against than Amen Thompson,” Kerr said. “Steph looked amazing. His rhythm is our rhythm.”
The Warriors outscored the Rockets by 12 points in Curry’s 26 minutes on the floor. They were outscored by 13 in the 22 minutes he was not. The split needs no further explanation.
What Curry Said About Playing With Porzingis
GettyKristaps Porzingis of the Golden State Warriors.
One of the most intriguing subplots of Sunday night was the first extended look at Curry alongside Kristaps Porzingis. The combination was limited by foul trouble throughout, but Curry liked what he saw in the moments they shared the floor.
“I thought we have a lot more to prove out there,” Curry said. “He had foul trouble the whole night, so there wasn’t much of a rhythm for him. But there were a couple of possessions they tried to blitz me, KP’s spacing the floor, the defense has to make a decision. More of those reps will be great for not just me and him, but for all of us to continue to build chemistry.”
The closing stretch of the fourth quarter gave Curry a glimpse of something familiar. With Draymond Green finding cutters, Gary Payton II attacking the rim, and defenses forced to account for Curry on the perimeter, Golden State looked like a different team entirely.
“That group that we had down the stretch, it felt like old times just reading the defense,” Curry said. “They overreact to me on the perimeter, GP’s going to the bucket, Draymond’s finding guys. It was awesome. Tough finish, obviously, but I liked the way we finished the game.”
Final Word for the Warriors
Twenty-seven games. Two months of uncertainty. One nervous Easter Sunday at home with family before heading to the arena.
Curry is back. The chemistry with Porzingis is just beginning. Four regular season games remain before the play-in begins.
He made his focus for the week clear.
“Now I can settle in to how we’re gonna finish the year.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Warriors’ Steph Curry Gets Honest on How Injury Felt During Return appeared first on Heavy Sports.