Stephen Curry has defined a generation of NBA basketball with his outrageous shotmaking that enraptured many fans of the sport. Curry has been the driving force behind the Golden State Warriors‘ four NBA championships since 2015 — and even at 36 years old, the point guard continues to find new ways to impress audiences.
Monday marked the first total solar eclipse in the United States since 2017, and Curry marked the unusual event in a way that only he can: with a circus shot that captured the imagination of fans and teammates alike.
Stephen Curry invents “solar eclipse” trick shot that amazes Warriors teammates
Curry “beats” the solar eclipse
Curry on Monday posted a short clip on Instagram with the caption “Throw it to the eclipse!” The clip itself comes from a shootaround prior to the Warriors‘ 108-106 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, wherein Curry drains a high-arcing scoop shot, drawing an unforgettable reaction from longtime teammate Kevon Looney.
The short video is especially appropriate to publish on Monday, as millions of Americans have been able to see a rare total solar eclipse as it traverses the contiguous United States. The eclipse’s path of totality began along Mexico‘s Pacific Coast, through 13 states, and it will cross into Canada by Monday night.
While a total solar eclipse is a rarity, Curry drilling crazy shots and scoring buckets of points has long been a nightly occurrence in the NBA. The two-time MVP has played in 71 games this season and is averaging 26.5 points per game while shooting better than 40 percent from 3-point range. His Warriors have clinched no worse than 10th place in the Western Conference, giving them a shot to play postseason basketball if they can make out of the Play-In Tournament.
Tari Eason, a Houston Rockets player who did not play against the Golden State Warriors, wore on the bench of the Houston franchise a T-shirt with the phrase ‘Warriors, come out to play’, a famous quote from the movie ‘The Warriors’.
The result of this provocation by the power forward was forceful and the opposite of his intention. The Warriors obeyed him, came out to play and won by a resounding 110-133.
“That’s pretty boring, especially if you’re not even playing…. You’re just trolling off the bench. Like bro, what are we doing?” said Klay Thompson after the game after being asked about Tari Eason Jersey.
Steph Curry and Klay Thompson (7 of 11 three-pointers) scored 29 points each to lead the Warriors to six consecutive wins, virtually assuring their presence in the playoffs.
“We know we can score against most teams, but defense has been our calling card,” warned Curry.
Jabari Smith Jr. (24 points) and rookie Cam Whitmore (17 points) were the best for the Rockets.
Ben Simmons‘ season came to a gradual halt this week. After sitting out several games with persistent back issues, the Brooklyn Nets shut him down for the rest of the season.
Although Simmons isn’t a free agent until the summer of 2025, odds on what his team will be if he’s bought out before the upcoming season have already come out.
Take a look inside Ben Simmons’ $20 million mansion
Could Warriors be Ben Simmons’ next team?
Fans were very surprised to see the Golden State Warriors second on the list. But there is a good amount of Warriors fans who believe the franchise, with Stephen Curry at the helm, could save Simmons’ career.
The Warriors definitely have the right culture to hold Simmons accountable when it’s needed. With veterans like Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson on the team, Simmons would be surrounded with the perfect environment to maximize his talent.
LeBron James and Steph Curry is the stuff of dreams for many NBA fans, and those respective players too no doubt, so as James is linked with a trade to the Golden State Warriors in Northern California, what does he think on the matter?
According to the iconic basketball star, he doesn’t know what to think about the trade because it’s news to him. That’s right, he didn’t even know about it. So that pretty much puts that rumor to bed as far as it goes, meaning he is committed to the Los Angeles Lakers for the short term.
LeBron James compares Caitlin Clark to the best scorers in the NBA
Ahead of his 20th appearance in the NBA All-Star game, the 6’7″ power forward, who also operates a small forward, was made aware of the rumor that the Warriors contacted the Lakers to ask about a trade, which was laughed out of the front office.
“I actually heard about it when everybody else heard about it,” James told TNT. “Sometimes there’s conversations that happen behind closed doors that you don’t even know about it.
“And I guess until it’s real or not, then they’ll bring it to you. But it never even got to me.”
Curry reacts to the rumors
The Golden State Warriors are not enjoying a very golden season at the moment. It’s not even bronze either as they’re undergoing a pretty serious slump.
The organization sits in the last play-in spot for the postseason by just 2.5 games from the Utah Jazz and they’re 11 games behind the Western Conference leaders, the Minnesota Timberwolves.
So, LeBron would have the potential to revolutionize that set-up and make them contenders for the NBA Finals, which they won four times between 2015-2022 so what does the marquee Steph Curry think about it?
“I’m never surprised,” Stephen Curry said about the reports, per NBC Sports. “It’s always a surprise when stuff like that gets out because I am assuming every team is making calls that if every fan or fan base or media group would know about it.
“It would maybe normalize the conversation that happens in the front office, especially around the trade deadline when you’re exploring around the league who’s available and who’s not.
“Obviously, a guy like [Le]Bron, you would probably call just to see. I don’t know what the depths of those conversations were, but that was a nice little surprise this morning, for sure.”
Stephen Curry was on a roll – and it was barely enough to beat Sabrina Ionescu. And fittingly, he won by three. The Golden State star and NBA‘s all-time 3-point king beat Ionescu 29-26 in the Steph vs. Sabrina competition at All-Star Saturday night, the first such him-vs.-her event of its kind at the league’s weekend showcase.
“For us to deliver a show like that, it was perfect,” Curry said. “As much excitement as you can build in that short amount of time with two great shooters going at it. This is something we’ll remember for a long time.”
Sabrina Ionescu Talks About Competing Against Steph Curry in the 3-Point Contest With No Boundaries
Ionescu won the WNBA‘s 3-point shootout at its All-Star weekend last year with a record 37 points, smashing Curry’s NBA shootout mark of 31 points. From there, a challenge was thrown down and the plan was concocted for them to meet at All-Star weekend. So they did, and it felt like the main event of the night.
“Hopefully, this isn’t the last time we do this,” Ionescu said.
Given how the fans – and really, everybody from both the NBA and WNBA – seemed to love it, it likely won’t be the last time, especially since Curry and Ionescu talked afterward about adding partners to the mix next year when All-Star weekend just happens to be in San Francisco, the area where he plays and she calls home.
Curry’s prize was a championship belt, with images of goats – as in, GOATs – on either side. And he’s the shooting GOAT, without question. But Ionescu, the New York Liberty star, almost gave him more than he could handle.
Sabrina Ionescu puts pressure on Stephen Curry
Ionescu went first and made 18 of 27 shots – starting 7 for 7. Some of them were worth one point, some worth two, giving her a total of 26 points.
She shot from the NBA 3-point line, which is roughly 12 to 18 inches farther from the basket than the WNBA line, depending on the area of the floor. Ionescu used a WNBA ball, which is slightly smaller than the NBA ball Curry used.
Curry had to rally a bit at the end, making nine of his last 10 to finish off the win.
Combined, they shot 39 for 54 (72%) in a contest with unconventional elements like a lime-green glass floor in a football stadium with the world watching.
“This was so authentic for the both of us to be able to be here, finally not in a closed gym, shooting in front of everyone watching and understanding what it means for ourselves but also the bigger picture,” said Ionescu, who has beaten Curry in a H-O-R-S-E competition before without millions of people watching on television. “This is where I wanted to be. … It’s changed the landscape of how people view what we’re doing.”
There’s no rivalry between the two, even though Curry heckled Ionescu during her rehearsal shooting session on Friday. He was booing her as she shot.
“Trying to apply some pressure, for sure,” Curry said.
Stephen Curry is Sabrina Ionescu’s inspiration
The reality is he’s been inspiring Ionescu for more than half her life. Ionescu’s family had season tickets to Warriors games. He gave her a high-five once when he was in the tunnel connecting the locker room and the court. She had a photo of him as her screensaver.
Years later, when Ionescu was starring at Oregon, she was the one high-fiving Curry’s daughters – who love her. And on Saturday, Ionescu said the experience of just being part of something so unique on the All-Star stage taught her a key lesson.
“To just keep believing in myself,” she said. “You know, 10 years ago, I never would have thought this was possible. And so being able to be up here … it’s a blessing and an opportunity to even be in the same conversation as Steph and to be able to see how much he’s respected me as a player and a basketball player and a person to want to come out here and do this.”
The competition raised money for each of their foundations, and when it was over, Curry left with the belt – but they both left more than happy.
“I don’t know what’s going to come out of it, but me and Sabrina talked about how cool of an opportunity it is to do something that’s never been done before in our game,” Curry said. “And for her to have a presence on this stage is going to do a lot to inspire the next generation of young boys and girls that want to compete and see themselves in either one of us. Wherever it goes from there, we know we can kind of plant our flag as doing something really special.”
Brandin Podziemski‘s starpower has sharply risen over the past two years, something that didn’t seem possible following his first season at Illinois. After a transfer to Santa Clara and an impressive sole season there, the Golden State Warriors made Podziemski their first round pick in 2023.
After a slight acclimation period during the first month of his rookie season, Podziemski has averaged around 30 minutes per game over the past three months. On Thursday night, he replaced Klay Thompson in the starting lineup. Now in Indianapolis for the Rising Stars Game during NBA All-Star Weekend, Podziemski took the time to speak with Marca’s Nacho Garcia.
Brandin Podziemski praises Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as teammatesNacho Garcia
Brandin Podziemski praises Stephen Curry and Draymond Green
Podziemski raved about Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, calling them the best teammates he’s ever had. The two have helped the rookie immensely since entering the league, with Curry serving as a role model both on and off the court.
“He’s been a great vet towards me, and anything I’ve ever needed on the court, off the court he’s been there to take care of me… The things he does as a husband, father, businessman, teammate, how he treats people, he’s never too good for anybody. It’s something you look up to.”
The frequent theme when talking about both Curry and Green was their appetite for winning, something that Podziemski shares with them. In fact, the rookie understands why Green gets so animated and crosses the line from time to time.
“Of course, we just live with that. We know all the stuff he does on the court is out of good heart, and he just wants to win. That’s where me and him kind of share similarities, we just do whatever it takes to win.”
At just 20 years old, Podziemski has already started making a name for himself at one of the marquee franchises in the NBA. The sky is the limit for him.
It has been an odd Golden State Warriors season for Klay Thompson, to say the least. Thompson is shooting a career-low 41.5% and 36.8% from the field and three-point range, respectively.
The shooting inefficiency led to Thompson being out of favor in late-game situations at times, which led to frustration and short answers with the media. That culminated in an on-court explosion last week where Thompson had a tantrum on the sideline and didn’t care for what Stephen Curry had to say.
Klay Thompson angered, kicks chair, disregards Stephen Curry during Warriors matchTwitter
Steve Kerr benches Klay Thompson
Ultimately, it led Steve Kerr to make a bold decision: he benched Thompson against the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. It’s the first time Thompson has started a game on the bench since his rookie season in 2012, over a decade ago.
The move seems to have lit a fire under Thompson, which may be what Kerr intended. Thompson finished the win over the Jazz with an impressive 35 points off the bench. It’s the most points he’s scored in a game all season.
Who is Brandin Podziemski?
Starting in Thompson’s place was Brandin Podziemski, the Warriors’ first round pick in the last NBA Draft. Podziemski has seen his playing time skyrocket since the first month of the season, and is already proving to be a really good all-around player.
Podziemski played college basketball at Santa Clara, where he transferred to after one season at Illinois after he only played 4.3 minutes per game his freshman year. In his first and only season at Santa Clara, he averaged 19.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.8 steals per game.
The Warriors saw enough potential to pick him over players from more established basketball schools, but it’s proving to look like a very sharp move.
Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green made sure his former teammate, Phoenix Suns‘ Kevin Durant, received an earful after blocking him on the final shot attempt of Saturday night’s clash at Chase Center to secure the home victory.
Stephen Curry scored from beyond the arc with 0.7 seconds left to play in the final frame for a 113-112 Golden State win over Phoenix for their sixth victory in seven games. Andrew Wiggins then fouled Devin Booker and Green played excellent defense on Durant during the inbounds pass.
Klay Thompson angered, kicks chair, disregards Stephen Curry during Warriors matchTwitter
Booker led the Suns with 32 points and Durant scored 24, but it was not enough for a series sweep of the Warriors this season.
Suns had two opportunities to win the game thanks to the phantom foul. Warriors were lucky to have Green on the floor.
Draymond Green becomes the hero after technical foul
Green, who had 15 points, nine assists and seven rebounds, became the hero by blocking Durant’s shot with 0.6 seconds left of action.
The whole night did not go without a hitch, though, as Green received his first technical foul since returning from an indefinite suspension in January.
Green also trash-talked Suns center Jusuf Nurkic, who was involved in the indefinite suspension, all night long. Phoenix hosts the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday, one day before Golden State visits the Utah Jazz.
Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green revealed his all-time favorite Kobe Bryant moment on Thursday night on the night of the “Black Mamba” receiving a statue at Crypto Arena.
Green, 33, explained how Bryant missed what would have been a game-winning shot against the Warriors and he was the defender. Mark Jackson was still the Golden State head coach when the moment happened.
Kobe Bryant statue unveiled by the Los Angeles LakersTwitter
“That ain’t have nothing to do with you young fella I just missed,” Bryant told Green after the latter celebrated the stop.
Bryant stories across the league are prevalent and they always go in similar fashion, with the “Black Mamba” letting the others know they’re not on his level.
Kobe Bryant Day
Green’s story about Bryant came on the day that the Lakers honored the five-time NBA champion with a statue.
Bryant will receive two more statues at Crypto Arena, including one with his daughter Gianna, who died with him in the helicopter crash.
Draymond Green has defended quarterback the San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Brock Purdy, amidst criticism. Following the Golden State Warriors‘ win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Green expressed unwavering support for Purdy, who has been labeled a “game manager.”
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The atmosphere at Chase Center was jubilant, with the Warriors and fans honoring several 49ers stars in attendance, including George Kittle and Deebo Samuel. Green praised the team’s resilience and predicted a championship victory in Las Vegas.
“I think it’s going to be a great game,” Green told NBC Sports.
Kristin Juszczyk wows 49ers fans with provocative custom outfit
“You’re talking [about] two great teams. There’s been a lot of Brock Purdy slander over the last couple of years, and the way he showed up in that second half for that conference championship game.
“I saw something that Stephen A. Smith said where he said, ‘If Brock Purdy shows up in the Super Bowl, that’s it, no more questioning Brock Purdy.’ I know better than that because he can show up at the Super Bowl, and if he started the season off bad with four bad games they are going to be like, ‘He’s a game manager.’”
A morale-boosting win
Stephen Curry led the Warriors to victory against the Philadelphia 76ers with a game-high 37 points, 15 of which came in the third quarter. The Warriors, rebounding from two close losses, secured a 119-107 win over Joel Embiid’s 76ers at Chase Center.
