NBA Western Conference Finals 2016/17, Golden State Warriors vs. San Antonio Spurs: 5 takeaways from Game 1

#3 Steph Curry can just take over games like no one else

Steph Curry lit up the Oracle Arena with a 19-point third quarter

Throughout the match, I was texting my Warrior fan friend (Let’s call him PK), who till the end of the first half was irate about how badly Golden State was getting theirs kicked. Right at the point when Steph got hot though, he sent me this, “THAT’S WHAT IM FRIGGIN TALKING ABOUT. THAT’S WHAT IM FRIGGIN TALKING ABOUT.” (he didn’t say friggin, but you get the point.)

Steph put up an MVP reminiscent performance, 40 points with 7 rebounds and 3 steals, hitting 7 3-pointers in total, 5 of which came in the third quarter. Kevin Durant put up a just-as-impressive performance tallying 34 points along with 4 assists and 4 blocks, but it was Curry tonight.

Coming into the first half, it seemed like Steph would have a mediocre night, no doubt by the lockdown defence played by the Spurs as he put up just 14 points in the first half. As teams in the NBA have discovered though, all it takes is one play for the Warriors and their home turf of Oracle Arena to erupt. And that was Stephen Curry’s performance in the third quarter as he went off for 19 points in the third - leading Golden State to a 1-0 lead in the series.