Well, that's one way to make a comeback. Steph Curry, after a two-month hiatus to nurse an injury, decided to grace the Golden State Warriors' court with his presence again. He dropped a cool 29 points, reminding everyone why he's, well, Steph Curry. The only problem? The Houston Rockets apparently didn't get the memo about the feel-good narrative, snatching a 117-116 win in San Francisco.
Alperen Sengun, the Rockets' rising star, decided to play spoiler, sinking the winning shot with a mere 11.1 seconds left on the clock. Because nothing says "welcome back" quite like a last-second heartbreaker.
The Rockets' Uninvited Party
Former Warriors star Kevin Durant, now with the Rockets, seemed to relish the opportunity to make things awkward, scoring a game-high 31 points, along with eight assists and eight rebounds. The Rockets, clearly on a mission, are now just one game behind the Lakers and Nuggets in the Western Conference standings. Which, if you're a Warriors fan, is just delightful.
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Start Your News DetoxBrandin Podziemski added 18 points for the Warriors, who, despite the loss, have likely secured the 10th seed in the Western play-in tournament. So, small victories, right?
Sengun's clutch shot came after the Warriors had briefly taken the lead with a Gary Payton II layup. Curry, ever the showman, tried a heroic 30-foot shot under pressure but missed. He did, however, nail five of his 10 three-point attempts, proving that even a rusty Steph is still pretty darn good. Jabari Smith Jr (23 points) and Amen Thompson (18 points) also contributed to the Rockets' six-game winning streak. Because apparently, that's where we are now.
Steph's Grand Return (from the Bench!)
Curry had been sidelined for 27 games since January 30. He played 26 minutes, hitting 11 of his 21 shots. But here's the kicker: he came off the bench. For the first time in 14 years in a regular season game. Let that sink in. The crowd, naturally, gave him a standing ovation when he finally entered in the first quarter, because even when you're losing, you still appreciate a legend.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr, ever the diplomat, called Curry one of the most loved players in league history, noting that his long absence reminded everyone how lucky they are to witness his magic. Kerr also mentioned they'll be managing Curry's minutes carefully, especially with five games in eight days, including back-to-backs. So, no consecutive nights for the returning hero. He'll be playing in "shorter bursts," which sounds like a very polite way of saying, "don't expect him to carry the whole team just yet."
