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“That’s what you live for” - Stephen Curry says moments like Play-In comeback fuel his love for the game
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- “That’s what you live for” - Stephen Curry says moments like Play-In comeback fuel his love for the game
After missing 27 straight games due to a knee injury, many surmised that it was foolish of Stephen Curry to return in the final week of the regular season; they believed he could make a difference in what has been another underwhelming season for the Golden State Warriors .
With wingmen Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody out for the season due to various knee injuries, the team that Steph was returning to help out was barely recognizable from the one he had left when he last played on January 30.
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However, anybody who thought the Baby-Faced Assassin's return would be futile obviously does not know the Warrior's spirit that lives deep within his 6'2" frame. And on Tuesday night, he showed the entire basketball world why he was confident he could bring his team to another level, scoring 35 points and draining seven 3-pointers in Golden State's 126-121 win over the Los Angeles Clippers in the play-in tournament.
This team had a chance
Curry initially thought he would be out of commission for just a few days; instead, his absence lasted two months as his body struggled to recover from runner's knee. However, the time he spent away from the court allowed him to watch the Warriors from a different perspective carefully. And he liked what he saw.
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"We talked about it the whole time. If you have any type of chance or hope to extend our season, I wanted to be out there to experience it," Steph said . "You don't imagine it going like it did tonight, but just proud of how we all fought, and the guys that are out there withstanding the runs that they went on, the leads that they built up."
Down by 13 with 9:53 to go, the Warriors pulled to within three less than two minutes later. However, the Clippers persevered and raised their lead back to nine with 6:37 to go. The Dubs, though, stuck with what they knew and, with the win within reach, turned to Steph to run through the tape.
"That was fun. That's what you live for," Curry stressed.
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Chemistry that borders on telepathic
The Warriors have gone through numerous changes over the past few years. However, the one constant on the floor has been the duo of Steph and Draymond. And just like they have over the course of their celebrated careers, they connected one more time to deliver the coup de grace to the Clippers' season.
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Curry disclosed how much fun it was to run the same action they have used over the past 14 seasons and still make it work.
"There was no timeout. There was no clipboard drawing up a play. It was just us being in sync on what we were seeing and how they were trying to guard me," Curry recalled. "Less than a minute left, just trying to get a good look, and we got to some of our pet actions, and it was right time, right place, right execution and thankfully that went in."
Despite all the celebration in the Bay Area, the fact is the Warriors aren't in the playoffs yet; they need one more win over the Phoenix Suns to book a ticket to the postseason. But with Steph around and in the pink of health, the Warriors have a legitimate shot and quite frankly, if any opponent gives this experienced team an inch, they wouldn't hesitate to take a mile.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Apr 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
