Steve Kerr Says Stephen Curry 'Turned a Corner' After Game 4 Win vs. Pelicans
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said point guard Stephen Curry made a "breakthrough" with his conditioning in Sunday's 118-92 Game 4 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
"I thought Steph turned a corner tonight," he said, per Mark Medina of the Bay Area News Group. "Where I really saw it was on the defensive end. I thought he was really moving well defensively. He was anticipating things and getting over screens."
Curry played 32 minutes during the Game 4 win, posting 23 points and two assists while shooting 8-of-17 from the field (4-of-9 from three).
He also moved up the history books once again:
After his epic return in Game 2, when he scored 28 points in 27 minutes, Curry came back down to earth a bit in Game 3, registering 19 points in 29 minutes while shooting just 6-of-19 from the field in a 119-100 loss.
But in Game 4, Curry felt like he was getting back in the groove.
"My lungs feel really good. It's my third game back and keep pushing," he said. "After five weeks, the adrenaline rush is crazy the first game. You ride that. The second game is a little different. Tonight felt good. As long as I’m out there playing hard, the timing and endurance will come back. I've been working hard on that."
The scary thing about the Warriors, of course, is that they have the overall talent to beat teams while Curry finds his legs and rhythm. Kevin Durant carried the torch Sunday, registering 38 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
The Warriors, who went 5-1 in the postseason without Curry, are now 2-1 with him back in the fold and hold a commanding 3-1 lead over the New Orleans Pelicans. A matchup with the Western Conference's top seed, the Houston Rockets—also up 3-1 on the Utah Jazz—appears imminent.
That's the series NBA fans have been anticipating all season. If Curry is back in form, however, the Warriors will once again be the favorites.
