Curry Shines in Warriors’ Emotional Victory Over Mavericks

Curry’s Night, Night Celebration Marks a Memorable Game

SAN FRANCISCO — It was a bit early for his signature “Night, Night” celebration, the gesture Steph Curry employs to signify a victory that is all but secured. “I almost pulled a Si Woo Kim,” Curry remarked, referencing the golfer who, in September, mimicked Curry’s iconic move after a clutch chip-in on hole No. 16, only to lose the Presidents Cup on the final hole. “But thankfully, we were able to finish it. … Yeah, a little premature.”

With a four-point lead and just 26.4 seconds remaining, Curry hit Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II with a series of dazzling crossovers before sinking a three-pointer from the top of the arc. The moment called for his international trademark, an expression of raw emotion that made it difficult to focus solely on the score and clock. The adrenaline and testosterone surged; the euphoria of triumph rendered win probability a secondary concern.

A moment of brilliance had been orchestrated. A message was conveyed. It had to be punctuated.

Curry unleashed a roar that reverberated through the raucous Chase Center crowd, a sound powerful enough to invoke memories of Oracle Arena. He tugged at the Golden State emblem across his jersey and pounded his chest with a fist. Then, turning to the cameras, he directed his competitive bravado toward anyone who might dare to abandon him for a different path. “You better stay here!” Curry shouted, emphasizing his point with a double gesture toward the hardwood beneath him. “You better stay here!”

Tuesday night’s NBA Cup opener was a tribute to Klay Thompson and the deep affection he has cultivated within the Warriors community. Hundreds of Golden State employees lined his pathway into the arena, while thousands of fans donned white sailor hats in his honor. Following a one-minute tribute video, Thompson basked in an emotional minute-long ovation, enough to break through his usual facade of indifference.

As he had done many times before, Thompson sent chills through the arena. A Bay Area legend had returned; a cherished member of a dynasty was home once more.

“Yeah,” Thompson reflected after the game, “it hurts to be on the other side of one of his flurries. The guy got hot at the end and made some ridiculous shots. Being on the other end, it sucks.”

On the court, surrounded by at least five future Hall of Famers, Curry emerged as the most impactful player when it mattered most, even as he approaches his 37th birthday in just four months.

Trailing 114-108 with just over three minutes left, Curry erupted for 10 consecutive points. Neither Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, nor Thompson could answer Curry’s onslaught as he scored 12 points in the final 3:10 of play. He concluded the game with a staggering 37 points, alongside 9 assists and 6 rebounds, propelling the Warriors to a 120-117 victory and improving their record to 9-2. Just two nights after he outshone Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in Oklahoma City and Jayson Tatum in Boston, Curry again affirmed his elite status.

His intent was clear: he wanted to ensure that Thompson felt his presence. This mindset underscored their relationship, as their competitive spirits bond them as strongly as their shooting skills do.

Curry was determined not to yield any satisfaction to Thompson. The emotional outpouring of admiration was enough for the night. He stayed in the tunnel during the tribute video, avoiding the emotions he knew would surface. Similarly, Draymond Green received an early viewing of the video to process the sentiments beforehand. Curry didn’t even engage with Thompson until they exchanged a pregame hug right before tipoff.

In the game’s opening play, Thompson attempted to exploit his height advantage over Curry by taking him into the post, drawing a foul. Curry responded aggressively, as Green noted, determined to contest Thompson’s every move. “I blacked out on that one,” Curry admitted. “I wasn’t going to let him score, and I fouled him.”

Curry managed to strip Thompson of the ball the next time he posted him and forced him into a poor shot on a third occasion. When Curry made a floater in the second quarter, drawing a foul from Thompson, he shot a playful glare at his long-time backcourt mate.

“I knew he’d come in ready to go,” Green said. “But when you see him express that type of emotion, everybody else just falls in line. I try to lead in that category. When he’s up, I move to the side, let him do his thing and be his support. He was absolutely incredible tonight, and I knew he’d be locked in from the get-go.”

Interestingly, in denying Thompson, Curry emphasized that he doesn’t have a “Replacement Klay.”

The Warriors outscored the Mavericks by 24 points during Curry’s 35 minutes on the court. However, during the 13 minutes he sat, the Mavericks outscored the Warriors by 21 points. Golden State’s promising start stems from their depth, but the league’s highest-scoring bench — which still outperformed Dallas’ bench, 42-22 — struggled offensively when Curry was off the floor. With Green and Andrew Wiggins primarily resting alongside him, the Warriors’ bench was overwhelmed by the dynamic duo of Dončić and Irving, as well as Thompson.

Jonathan Kuminga, who finished with 16 points, is the most promising bench option to anchor the offense, though his minutes and opportunities are sometimes limited. Buddy Hield, another featured scorer, was effective inside the arc but struggled to find his rhythm from beyond the three-point line. The Replacement Splash Brother has been impressive this season but went 2-for-8 against his predecessor, contributing to the Warriors’ offensive struggles.

Meanwhile, the Mavericks were able to stagger their star players, keeping a constant threat on the court. Thompson provided a potent third option when he was on, and on this night, he was on fire, shooting 6-for-12 from three-point range and scoring 22 points. He entered the game having made only 2 of 13 in his previous two outings.

Thompson scored eight points in the fourth quarter, including two wide-open threes in front of the Warriors’ bench. The first came over a closeout from Curry, who had sagged off Thompson too far. The second shot put the Mavericks ahead 110-105 with 5:17 remaining, igniting a flurry of verbal and physical banter with his former teammates. “He did a little terrible shimmy,” Green quipped. “It was awful.” “He knows better than that,” Curry added.

Undoubtedly, Curry was aware that he would hear it from his fellow dynasty architect if Thompson managed to return home with a victory against the Warriors. Watching Thompson display his skills was an additional motivation. The reigning Western Conference champions now had to contend with Commodore Curry.

With just over 30 seconds remaining and the Warriors ahead by a point, Curry jogged up the court as the tension reached its peak. He burned off precious seconds with a series of between-the-leg dribbles, waiting for the perfect moment to attack. A screen switched Dončić onto him, and a second screen put Lively in his sights. Curry had found his target.

With two powerful dribbles, Curry hopped right, then executed a sudden crossover to the left, causing Lively to shift his momentum. In a flash, Curry yanked the ball back to his right, aligning himself perfectly for a clean three-pointer from the top of the arc. This splash was dedicated to Klay. “That’s my guy, my friend, my road dog for 13 years,” Curry said. “There’s a lot of history, so you’re going to have a lot of back and forth. Some of it was competitive, some of it was fun. … It was an unreal night, for sure, all the way around.”

Immediately following his postgame interview, Thompson returned to his former stomping grounds. Fully dressed and sporting his captain’s hat, he spent time in the weight room and practice court he once frequented, reconnecting with players, coaches, and trainers from his past team. The rivalry had transformed back into a brotherhood.

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