Stephen Curry, exceptional with 50 points against the Sacramento Kings, qualified the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals on April 30. They will be opposed to the Lakers of LeBron James. In the East, the Miami Heat offered the first round at the New York Knicks.
At the end of this victory (120-100) of the defending champion, the four-star performance - like the number of rings of champions strung on the finger - of "Chief Curry" will remain in the annals of the NBA. Never had a player scored so much during a 7ᵉ match, by definition that of all dangers because a defeat would have meant elimination.
At 35, the all-time leading three-point scorer has proven he still knows how to stay at the top of his game. And he had to be up to the challenge, because the Kings, confirming their excellent regular season finished in 3rd place in the West, pushed the Warriors to their limits in this very tight series.
Perhaps they thought they had shaken the confidence of the champion, forty-eight hours earlier by equalizing against all odds at 3-3. But it was also on experience that it was played, because Sacramento only found the playoffs for the first time since 2006.
Opposite, Curry, experienced in the exercise, never doubted. Enough to forget the bad address of Klay Thompson (16 points at 4/19) and the still transparent performance of Jordan Poole (8 points). But rebounding glutton Kevon Looney (21 including 10 offensively, 11 points) and Andrew Wiggins (17 points) were helpful.
On the Sacramento side, nothing really worked out as the Warriors defense woke up at the perfect moment, limiting DeAaron Fox to 16 points and containing the team's completion percentage at 37.5%.
Jimmy Buttler injured
In the East, Miami took a first advantage in New York (108-101). But five minutes from time, Jimmy Butler's left ankle twisted inside after contact with Josh Hart, which did not prevent him from finishing with 25 points (50% shooting success, 11 rebounds, 2 steals).
Certainly less transcended than during the series against Milwaukee, to whom he passed 56 points in the fourth game for an average of 37.6% in the end, he this time had relays in attack, to make the difference in the second half, after counting 12 units behind.
First thanks to Gabe Vincent (20 points) then to Bam Adebayo (16 points) and finally to veteran Kyle Lowry, who took matters into his own hands in the money-time by scoring half of his 18 points.
Yet well into the game, the New Yorkers then suffered from opposing defensive adjustments, without finding a solution, despite Jalen Brunson (25 points) and RJ Barrett (26 points, 10 rebounds).
