Game 7 is where legacies are made. When the stakes are highest and the pressure goes up, some stars shrink. On the other hand, Stephen Curry is one of the best performers in a Game 7 situation. From clutch threes to all-time performances, here’s how Curry dominates in one of the most stressful playoff situations.
Don’t Bet Against Him: Steph Curry Dominates Game 7
Curry has played in five Game 7s throughout his career. He’s 3-2, but has had only one bad game. He ranks 13th in NBA history in terms of scoring average in Game 7. It’s noteworthy that eight of the players placed above him have played in only one Game 7. Looking at active players with two or more Game 7s, only Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James have performed better than Curry.
Across five games, the 11-time All-Star has averaged 32.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.8 steals, and 5.6 threes on 46.7% shooting from the floor and 42.4% from behind the arc. He’s scored 30+ points in three Game 7s. James has scored 30+ points five times, and Durant has done it four times.
Curry, however, has the second-highest scoring total in a Game 7. Only Jayson Tatum has more, going for 51 to beat the Philadelphia 76ers in 2023. Curry had 50 to beat the Sacramento Kings in the first round of the 2023 playoffs.
Can Curry Overcome the Houston Rockets Defense?
The Rockets have plenty of defenders that they can throw at Curry. They’ve already limited him to scoring under 20 points twice. Throughout the series, they have tried everything to make him less efficient and effective. They’ll throw Tari Eason, Dillon Brooks, and Amen Thompson at Curry. But despite their devastating defense, the guard has scored 30+ points two times. In Game 6, he had 29 points, but the Warriors lost.
Curry will have to dominate for Golden State to have any chance of winning Game 7 on the road. He is no stranger to high-pressure situations and going off in away games. In Curry’s 50-point performance against the Kings on the road, he went 20 of 38, including 7 of 18 from behind the arc. Whenever Sacramento made a clutch basket in the fourth quarter, he responded with his own bucket.
Will the Ghost of Curry Haunt the Rockets Again?
The Rockets have seen Chef Curry cook before. In the 2018 playoffs, Houston hosted the Warriors with Curry, Durant, and Klay Thompson. While Durant finished with the most points in their Game 7 victory, Curry was no slouch. He finished with 27 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds on 7-15 shooting from behind the arc.
Houston fans might remember that game all too well. Unlike the 2018 team, the current Rockets have a presence in the paint. They lost the 2018 Game 7 due to 27 consecutive missed three-pointers. That was the pinnacle of the James Harden era when the team bombed threes on almost every possession. This time, if the Rockets cannot hit their long-distance shots, they can go inside to Alperen Sengun. He has proved in this series that he can be a factor and dominate the small-ball Warriors. Still, they’ll need to keep Curry in check if the Rockets want to make NBA history and advance to the second round.
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