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LOS ANGELES — The outcome seemed inevitable once Stephen Curry released the ball out of his hands. Just as it has been for most of his nine-year NBA career, most of Curry’s shots sailed into the basket.
It did not matter when and where Curry took those shots. In the Warriors’ 121-105 victory over the Clippers on Saturday, Curry posted 45 points by remaining efficient in all spots on the court (11-of-21 overall). He sank them from 3-point range (8-of-16). He stayed efficient overall on mid-range jumpers and drives to the basket. He posted a career-high at the foul line (15-of-16).
The only thing that could stop Curry from handing the Warriors (31-8) their fourth consecutive win?
Certainly no one on the Clippers (17-21). They lost to the Warriors for the 12th consecutive time with an injury ravaged roster that featured All-Star forward Blake Griffin suffering a concussion in the first quarter after Warriors center JaVale McGee inadvertently elbowed him. Instead, it was playing time. Curry sat out the entire fourth quarter as the Warriors nursed a 103-76 lead, prevented Curry from topping his career-high 54 point game that he set against New York on Feb. 27, 2013.
The Warriors have become used to this by now with Curry posting 40-point performances in 28 games thus far. But Curry’s latest performance brought along two developments.
It showed how Curry has not lost anything in his performance since missing 11 games with a sprained right ankle. In the four games since he has returned, Curry has averaged 36 points while shooting 65.6 percent from the field, 53.8 percent from 3-point range and 89.6 percent from the free-throw line.
It also showed that the Warriors had the perfect remedy for sluggish play possibly stemmed from enjoying the Los Angeles nightlife a bit too much on Friday. Though Curry’s teammates went only 38.3 percent from the field, Curry’s efficiency made up for it. That explained why longtime Clippers fan Clippers Darrell yelled out to Warriors coach Steve Kerr with 1:58 left in the third quarter, “Can you take Curry out?”
Kerr eventually did in the fourth only after Curry had demoralized the Clippers enough.
