SAN FRANCISCO • For most players in the National Basketball Association (NBA), to average 26.4 points from the first five games of the season would be a more than respectable tally.
But not Stephen Curry.
The three-time NBA champion is held to higher standards and, before Sunday’s game with the Portland Trail Blazers, had been subjected to plenty of criticism on social media after his side’s 2-3 start.
Coming off an injury-plagued year which limited him to just five games due to a broken hand, many had questioned whether Curry still had what it takes to carry a team.
After finishing as the worst team in the NBA last season, the Warriors are still in transition and have not been tipped to make the play-offs, with the loss of Klay Thompson to injury compounding matters.
But two-time Most Valuable Player Curry got his swagger back on Sunday, scoring a career-high 62 points as the Warriors outgunned the Portland Trail Blazers 137-122.
It was just like old times for the All-Star guard, arguably the greatest shooter in NBA history, and he was quick to remind his critics not to write him off just yet.
On his haters, Curry, who nailed eight three-pointers to top his previous high of 54, said: “Cue the Jordan meme, right?
“I take all that personally. Just an opportunity to kind of assert my will on the game early and try to create some energy.
“We have a winning spirit, we’ve just gotta figure out how to do it consistently, and against the good teams in the league, it’s gonna test us. If you’re around this league long enough, you kind of get to see every scenario and situation. We have a lot to fight for and a huge challenge in front of us.
“(The Blazers) are the established team now, a guy like (Damian) Lillard, like I said, just brings the best out of you.
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7
Games in which Stephen Curry has scored 50+ points.
“And I love the competition.”
The 50-plus point night was the NBA’s first of the season, while the 60-pointer was the first for Golden State since Thompson had 60 in 2016.
The last Warrior to record more than 62 points in a game was Rick Barry with 64 in 1974 and Curry is the first to score at least 30 points in each half of a game since the late Kobe Bryant for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2005.
This was also the 32-year-old’s seventh 50-point game, breaking a tie with Kevin Durant for the fourth most among active players and he is the second-oldest to score 60 since Bryant did it aged 37.
His performance left many in awe, with Lillard, who paced Portland with 32 points, tweeting: “You can’t dish it out and not be able take it”.
Indiana Pacers centre Myles Turner also tweeted he “better not see any more Steph slander on my timeline”.
Elsewhere, Paul George scored 39 points and the visiting Los Angeles Clippers cooled the Phoenix Suns, snapping their four-game winning streak with a 112-107 victory on Sunday.
The hosts had entered the day tied for the best record in the NBA at 5-1 but the Clippers matched their start with the road win.
The visitors, who along with the Suns and champions Los Angeles Lakers, are in a three-way tie atop the West standings despite revealing that several of their staff had been placed in quarantine under league Covid-19 protocols.
According to ESPN, a staff tested positive following a New Year’s Eve group meal, with the rest asked to self-isolate.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS