Steph Curry and the Warriors have built a dynasty in Golden State – one that includes three championships in a four-year window and five-straight trips to the NBA Finals. It has been a match made in heaven since 2009, though many analysts had their doubts when it all began.
The Warriors selected Stephen Curry – out of Davidson College – with the seventh overall draft pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Despite many people saying he was too small and skinny to find success in the NBA, Steph Curry and the Warriors have proven those critics more than wrong.
During his 13-year career with Golden State, Curry has averaged 24.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.7 steals, and 0.2 blocks in 34.3 minutes per game. He’s a two-time scoring champion, one-time steals champion, two-time MVP, eight-time All-Star, and eight-time All-NBA player.
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Best Playoff Moments From Steph Curry and the Warriors
Steph Curry and the Warriors have enjoyed countless special memories during the regular season, but some of their most exceptional moments have come in the playoffs. Curry is known to light it up in the playoffs, averaging 26.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per game.
The Warriors were a 29-53 team when they drafted Steph Curry seventh overall. While they struggled to win consistently during his first three seasons, Steph Curry and the Warriors finally made the playoffs during the 2012-13 season. Two years later, they were in the NBA Finals.
That began a five-year run where they made it to the Finals every year – four of them against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. With eight playoff appearances since 2012, let’s take a look at some of the best all-time playoff moments from Steph Curry and the Warriors.
15. Game 1, 2013 Western Conference Semifinals vs. Spurs
We start with Game 1 of the 2013 Western Conference Semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors had just come off a first round series win against the Denver Nuggets and while they lost to the Spurs in Game 1, Steph Curry erupted for 44 points and 11 assists.
To date, it’s his second highest-scoring playoff game of his career. The Warriors fell 127-129 after giving up a three-pointer with one second left in the second overtime period. It was a tough loss, but an incredible game and the beginning of what would be an incredible playoffs career.
14. Game 3, 2014 Western Conference First Round vs. Clippers
Next up is Game 3 of the 2014 Western Conference First Round against the Los Angeles Clippers. It was another loss for Steph Curry and the Warriors, but featured a playoff career-high 15 assists for the future Hall of Fame point guard. It was an incredible passing display by Curry.
Unfortunately, it was a rather rough night outside of the assists. He only scored 16 points off 5 of 12 shooting from the field, adding two rebounds and one steal in the process. Klay Thompson had himself a nice, 26-point performance and this was back when they had Jermaine O’Neal.
13. Curry Scores 40 Points Twice Within a Month in 2015
Moving on to the 2015 playoffs, which were legendary for Steph Curry and the Warriors in a variety of ways – starting with his two 40-point performances in back-to-back series. The two performances came within one month of each other and was the start of something special.
He first scored 40 points against the New Orleans Pelicans in Game 3 of the First Round, adding nine assists and seven made three-pointers. He followed that up with 40 points against the Houston Rockets in Game 3 of the Conference Finals, making another seven three-pointers.
12. Game 5, 2015 NBA Finals vs. Cavaliers
After scoring 40 points in the First Round and Conference Finals, Steph Curry had yet to surpass the 30-point mark through the first four games of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers – then Game 5 happened. With the series tied 2-2, Steph Curry erupted for 37 points.
It was a tight game at halftime – the Warriors held a one-point lead and Curry had 15 points. They started to pull ahead in the third quarter, but Curry went off for 17 points in the fourth quarter to bring the Warriors within one game of their first championship since 1975.
11. First Championship Ring in 2015
Speaking of the Warriors’ first championship since 1975, let’s talk about it. After the impressive second half two days prior, Steph Curry scored nine points in the first quarter of Game 6 of the 2015 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Golden State held a hefty 13-point lead.
The Cavaliers came back in the second quarter, but the Warriors still held a two-point lead at the end of the first half. They outscored the Cavaliers by 10 points in the third quarter and went toe-for-toe with them in the fourth quarter en route to their first championship with Steph Curry.
10. Game 4, 2016 Western Conference Semifinals vs. Trail Blazers
The Warriors steamrolled their way through the First Round of the 2016 playoffs, but they did it without Stephen Curry on the floor – he played 20 minutes in Game 1 and 19 minutes in Game 4, but missed the rest of the series and the first three games of the next series due to injury.
Then Game 4 happened and Curry announced he was back. Despite coming off the bench, Curry played 36 minutes and put up 40 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and five three-pointers made. It gave the Warriors a 3-1 series lead after losing Game 3 to the Portland Trail Blazers.
9. Game 2, 2017 NBA Finals vs. Cavaliers
Stephen Curry isn’t the type of point guard that puts up triple-doubles often – especially in the playoffs – but he made an exception during Game 2 of the 2017 NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Curry finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in the win.
The Warriors held a six-point lead at the end of the first quarter, largely thanks to Steph Curry’s 15 points and two assists. Then Curry erupted with 12 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists in the third quarter, giving the Warriors a 14-point lead into the fourth quarter. The rest was history!
8. Second Championship Ring in 2017
After Curry’s triple double in Game 2, the Warriors took a 3-0 series lead before losing Game 4 – bringing the series to 3-1. This brought back unwanted memories of the 2016 NBA Finals, which was when the Cleveland Cavaliers overcame a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Warriors for the title.
Heading into Game 5 of the 2017 NBA Finals against Cleveland, Steph Curry and the Warriors were destined to write a different story – and they did. Curry put up 34 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists in the win, helping Golden State secure their second championship in three years.
7. Game 2, 2018 NBA Finals vs. Cavaliers
Fast forwarding to Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Finals against – you guessed it – the Cleveland Cavaliers, we witnessed Steph Curry break the record for most three-point field goals made in a single playoff game. He went 9 of 17 (53%) from long range en route to a 2-0 series lead.
Curry finished the game with 33 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. He started the game 1 of 5 from long range, but went 3 for 4 in the second quarter. After a quiet 0-3 third quarter, Curry erupted and went 5 for 5 from long range in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 points in the quarter.
6. Third Championship Ring in 2018
After an eight-point Warriors’ win in Game 3 of the 2018 NBA Finals, they looked to complete the series sweep in Game 4 – and that’s exactly what they did. Steph Curry put up an impressive 37 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, and 3 steals – an unusually-stacked stat sheet.
Steph Curry and the Warriors outscored the Cavaliers by 11 points in the first quarter and 12 points in the third quarter. They won the game by 23 points and Curry scored 12 points in both the first and fourth quarters. It was the Warriors’ second-straight title and third title in four years.
5. Game 1, 2019 Western Conference First Round vs. Clippers
The 2019 playoffs reminds us a lot of the 2015 playoffs with how dominant Curry was. We start with the very start of the playoffs – Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round against the Los Angeles Clippers. Curry had 38 points, 7 assists, and a playoff career-high 15 rebounds.
The Warriors went on to win that game 121-104 to take a 1-0 series lead over the Clips. After losing Game 2, they won Games 3, 4, and eventually Game 6 to advance to the next round. Curry also had a 10-rebound double-double (12 points) in Game 4 of this series, believe it or not.
4. Game 1, 2019 Western Conference Finals vs. Trail Blazers
Steph Curry and the Warriors fended off the Houston Rockets in the 2019 Semifinals in six games, which led to this incredible series between two of the game’s best shooters – Curry and Damian Lillard. And Game 1 of the 2019 Western Conference Finals didn’t disappoint at all.
Lillard certainly wasn’t himself (19 points), but Steph Curry erupted for 36 points and tied his record of nine made three-point field goals – he went 3 for 4 in the second quarter and 4 for 7 in the third quarter. A strong fourth quarter from Klay Thompson gave them the Game 1 victory.
3. Game 4, 2019 Western Conference Finals vs. Trail Blazers
We move on to Game 4 of the 2019 Western Conference Finals, a closeout game for Steph Curry and the Warriors. Heading into this game, Curry had at least 36 points in each game of the series. He was putting the Trail Blazers on blast and he had a 3-0 series lead to show for it.
Not only did Curry score 37 points in the closeout game, but he put up a triple double with 13 rebounds and 11 assists. With Draymond Green also putting up a triple-double in this game, the two became the first pair of teammates to record a triple-double in the same playoff game.
2. Game 3, 2019 NBA Finals vs. Raptors
We’re not done with the 2019 playoffs just yet. At this point, Curry already had a 15-rebound game against the Clippers, nine made three-point field goals against the Trail Blazers, and a triple-double against the Blazers. What are we missing? Oh yeah that’s right, a 40-point game.
It was Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors when Stephen Curry went off for a playoff career-high 47 points in a tough 109-123 loss. Curry didn’t have much help with Klay Thompson out due to injury. The Warriors would later lose the series in six games.
1. Game 4, 2022 Western Conference Semifinals vs. Grizzlies
Our final playoff moment between Steph Curry and the Warriors happened recently – Game 4 of the 2022 Western Conference Semifinals against the Memphis Grizzlies. During this game, Steph Curry became the first player to make 500 career three-point field goals in the playoffs.
It came with 46 seconds left in the first half when Steph Curry hit an open three-pointer to cut the deficit to three points. Curry finished the game with 32 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists – including 18 points in the fourth quarter, which proved to be crucial to their Game 4 victory.
Will Steph Curry and the Warriors Win Another Title?
Steph Curry and the Warriors are back to their championship form as they close out the Dallas Mavericks in five games to make their sixth NBA Finals appearance in the past eight seasons – and their first since Kevin Durant left. It took two miserable seasons, but the Warriors are back.
With that said, do Steph Curry and the Warriors have what it takes to win it all? They’ll either have to get through the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics – both of whom are worthy opponents with exceptional defenses. Either way, the Warriors’ explosive offense will give them a good chance.
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Steph Curry has already had seven 30-point performances during the 2022 NBA Playoffs and he’ll likely add on a few more in the NBA Finals. He has also had two double-doubles this postseason – both against the Dallas Mavericks. Stay tuned for more Steph Curry news!
As the Warriors Celebrate Their Win, Here Are 15 of the Best Moments From Their Championship Parade
It has been a hell of a 2022 NBA season, but it finally came to an end on June 20, 2022 when the Golden State Warriors took to the streets of San Francisco for their championship parade. It was the fourth time they’ve done so in the past eight years, continuing an incredible title run.
Although the team looks much different than in recent year’s past – most notably missing Kevin Durant – the same three core guys are at it again in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. The dynasty they built may never be duplicated, at least not anytime soon.
The Warriors ended the regular season as the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference with a 53-29 record (they were 39-33 last year) en route to their seventh title in franchise history. They defeated the Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Mavericks before defeating the Celtics 4-2 in the Finals.
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Best Moments From the Warriors’ Championship Parade
The championship parade is something every NBA player dreams of after winning a ring. Being with thousands upon thousands of your fans as you celebrate the biggest achievement in the sport is something that can’t be compared to everything else – you’re the center of attention!
When the Warriors started their championship parade on Monday, it was special. Many people said the Warriors wouldn’t get back to this moment – not without Kevin Durant, at least. Fast forward two years and KD got swept in the first round and the Warriors are now back on top.
It’s a beautiful story that couldn’t have been written any better. It was a grind of a season and they deserve to relish in this moment. In fact, speaking of moments, let’s take a look at some of the most memorable, hilarious, and relatable moments from the Warriors’ championship parade.
15. Captain Klay Loses His Championship Hat
Klay Thompson was on his way to the championship parade in a way only he can pull off. He pulled up to the Bay in his boat, but he ended up losing his championship hat on the way. He caught it all on video and his immediate reaction was to laugh it off and say, “I lost my hat!”
Thompson had a hard time shooting the ball consistently throughout the series, but managed to average 17.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.5 blocks in 38.3 minutes per game – he played more minutes than Curry and played the second-most minutes on the team.
14. Captain Klay Drops One of His Four Rings
It wasn’t just the championship hit Klay Thompson lost on Monday. As he was walking down the street saying hello to fans, he dropped one of his four rings on the ground. It landed near the fans and luckily none of them were looking for an opportunity because Klay quickly retrieved the ring.
Thompson’s 19.0 points per game in 22 games during this year’s playoffs was his second best mark in any of his championship runs – he averaged 19.6 points per game when the Warriors won it all in 2018. He averaged over 20 points per game in 2016 and 2019, but didn’t win it all.
13. Draymond Gets Some Ice Cream
We all get hungry when we party and with the hot weather at the time of the championship parade, it should come as no surprise to see Draymond Green get off the parade bus to order ice cream in a local shop. He walked up to the counter and said, “I just need some ice cream.”
Green received a lot of criticism for his play this series, but we all know his impact on the Warriors goes far beyond what the stat sheet says. He’s the defensive leader, the vocal leader, and one of the biggest personalities on the team – which is bound to come with some criticism.
12. Suns Out, Shirts Off for Gary Payton
Gary Payton II just finished his sixth season in the NBA and second with the Warriors. He has struggled to earn a consistent role on any one team, but he did that in Golden State this year. He had 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game in the regular season – all career highs.
And now, he’s a champion – something his father experienced as a member of the Miami Heat in 2006. It was Gary Payton II’s first trip to the playoffs and he elevated his play when it mattered most. In the Finals, he averaged 7.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
11. Klay and All His Fans!
One of the best things about the championship parade are the hundreds of thousands of fans that show up to support their team – and that’s about how many the Warriors partied with on Monday. You can tell it was a packed house by this selfie video taken by Klay Thompson.
This one was different, though. It was the first time Steph, Draymond, and Klay had their championship parade in San Francisco – the previous three were in Oakland. It was also the first championship parade in San Francisco since 2014, when the Giants won the World Series.
10. Steve Kerr Tries to Dance
Earlier in the season, Steve Kerr made a promise to do the ‘Ted Lasso’ dance (from the hit Apple TV show) if his Warriors’ team were to win the NBA Finals. That promise came a while ago, but in the age of social media, people like to keep receipts – and that’s what Ted Lasso did.
On the championship parade bus, Kerr was reminded and pressured into doing the dance – or at least trying to. It didn’t turn out that well, but you have to give him props for trying. After all, he just won his fourth championship as a coach – which pairs well with his five rings as a player.
9. Steve Kerr Talks Hangover
The Golden State Warriors won the championship on Thursday and their championship parade was on Monday. Knowing how hard champions like to party in the days following the win, it was only right to ask head coach Steve Kerr how his hangover was holding up after all the partying.
He responded as any 56-year-old would – noting it was a lot easier 30 years ago. He said it took a couple of days for the hangover to clear up, but he’s doing better now. He also mentioned how some of the younger players on the team had no problem with it – the perks of being young.
8. Toscano-Anderson Waving the Mexican Flag
Juan Toscano-Anderson is a Mexican-American basketball player that just completed his third season in the NBA. He joined the Warriors’ G League team for the 2019-20 season and played 13 games with Golden State that season. He played 53 games in 2021 and 73 games in 2022.
It has been quite a year for JTA, becoming the first player of Mexican descent to compete in the Slam Dunk contest at this year’s All-Star break. He only played eight minutes in the NBA Finals, but he played a big role all year and it must’ve been nice waving that Mexican flag at the parade.
7. Klay Thompson Takes to the Streets
During a championship parade, it’s important for all the players and coaches to remain on the bus – mostly for player safety, especially considering the hundreds of thousands of people flooding the streets. Well, that didn’t stop some Warriors’ players from exploring the streets.
Klay Thompson was one of those players – Gary Payton II and Otto Porter were some of the others. The police officers were trying to get Klay back on the bus, but he went the opposite way and started to give some fans some love with the trophy – he eventually got back on the bus.
6. It’s a Poole Party!
Jordan Poole emerged as a consistent threat for the Golden State Warriors all season long and he continued that throughout their championship run. He had 18.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in the regular season, and 17.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in the playoffs.
During the press conference after winning the chip, he mentioned how he needs to get some rest because it’s going to be ‘pool parties all summer.’ That’s when the ‘Poole Party’ headline popped and he doubled down on it by bringing pool toys with him to the championship parade.
5. Steph Has His Hands Full
Stephen Curry – a man that needs no introduction, but let’s give him one anyway. After putting up 25.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game during the regular season, he averaged 27.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.3 steals during the Warriors’ playoff run.
Let’s not forget about his 31.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.0 steals per game in the NBA Finals. It was an incredible season that included a lot of hardware – seen in the photo above. All-Star MVP, Western Conference Finals MVP, Finals MVP, and a championship ring.
4. Klay Thompson Goes Full MJ
Klay Thompson was the man of the hour during the championship parade – being his usual, hilarious self with each moment that passed. That includes this one when Klay was walking through the streets, set his drink and trophy down, and gave us a Michael Jackson impression.
Thompson took the second-most three pointers on the Warriors’ squad during the NBA Finals. Of the 57 he put up, he knocked down 20 – good for 35% from long range. The 20 three-pointers he made are even more incredible when you figure he only made 36 shots total in the series.
3. Draymond Tells the Haters to ‘Shut Up’
We mentioned above how Draymond Green received a lot of criticism for his play this series, but he had an opportunity to respond several times during the championship parade on Monday. For example, he dropped multiple f-bombs on live television – saying ‘fu** em’ multiple times.
Then there was this moment, when Draymond said “winners win, that’s what we do.” The reporter asked him if there’s anything else he wanted to say, and Green said, “I said it all… Shut up” – telling the haters to keep their mouths shut. He’s a four-time champion now, so respect it!
2. Steph Curry, the GOAT!
With Stephen Curry’s performance this postseason, it’s clearer now more than ever that he’s one of the greatest of all-time. There has never been anyone like him and there will likely never be anyone like him ever again. And with a Finals MVP under his belt finally, he’s done it all.
That’s what makes this goat-in-a-curry-uniform so fitting for the moment. That’s right, someone brought an actual gote to the championship parade and dressed it in a Steph Curry jersey to signify what we can all agree on – Steph is the G.O.A.T, whether you like it or not – he is.
1. Who Cries On the Basketball Court?
As the final seconds of Game 6 ticked off the clock last Thursday, Stephen Curry started to break down on the quart. The cameras showed him as the tears started to fall – knowing he was now a four-time champion with a Finals MVP all-but-secured. It was a moment he’ll never forget.
It’s one Klay Thompson didn’t forget either, asking Curry at the championship parade, “Who cries on the basketball court?” Something tells me he’ll never live that one down, but it’s all good because he has a lot of hardware to get over it with. Now, it’s time to get ready for another run.
Where Will the Championship Parade Be Next Year?
The one thing that makes every new NBA season so exciting is you never know what you’re going to get. At the start of this past season, not many were on board with the Warriors winning it all. In fact, most of the teams we were focused on at the start of the year were a disappointment.
Now that the 2021-22 season has officially come to an end and the Warriors have had their championship parade, who do you think will hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy next year? It might be difficult to answer right now, especially since Free Agency will play a large role in that answer.
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Some of the teams that will certainly be in position to win include the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Phoenix Suns. Keep an eye out for those teams!
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