Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Stephen Curry returned with a vengeance on Saturday, draining 10 three-pointers in the Golden State Warriors’ 141-128 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Curry’s 10 from beyond the arc were the most by a player in a single game this season. He scored 38 points in less than 26 minutes on the floor, showing no sign of trouble from the right ankle injury that sidelined him for 11 games.
“I was excited,” said Curry, who shot 13-of-17, pulled down four rebounds and handed out three assists. “Felt like the first day of school again.
“When I woke up this morning, I knew I was going to play basketball. That’s a great feeling to have.”
Curry departed the floor to a standing ovation with 2:55 left in the third quarter.
But Warriors coach Steve Kerr sent him back in late in the fourth and he drained a three-pointer that gave Golden State a 137-119 advantage with 2:50 to play.
Klay Thompson added 21 points, Kevin Durant scored 20 and Zaza Pachulia chipped in 13 — making all six of his shots and all five of his free throws.
The offensive fireworks meant the Warriors didn’t miss Draymond Green, who was ejected in the second quarter after picking up two technical fouls for arguing about foul calls.
The Warriors bounced back from an ugly 11-point loss to Charlotte on Friday, notching the fifth win of an 11-day, seven-game home stand.
Curry was on fire from the start, nailing a layup off an assist from Green in his second minute back. He drained a three-pointer a minute later as the Warriors took a 10-0 lead just 2:08 into the contest.
With four three pointers in the second and four more in the third he equalled Portland guard Damian Lillard’s previous NBA season high of nine.
His brief return to the game in the fourth quarter yielded one more, giving Curry a ninth career game with 10 or more.
“Most guys, you would say when they come back, they might struggle,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Curry, whose 38 points were one shy of his season-high. “You don’t say that about Steph.”
Spanish big man Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 27 points, one of six Memphis players to score in double figures.
