Stephen Curry has repeatedly delivered in the clutch this season — the latest example is a game-winning 3-pointer with 0.7 seconds left against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday.
Curry's game-winner was the 10th of his career, the most by any player since 2012-13. The go-ahead splash was his ninth 3-pointer of the game, giving him 20 threes over his last two games. He leads the NBA in clutch scoring (157 points), made field goals (49) and made 3-pointers (27) this season. The inbounder on the play, Brandin Podziemski, had his eyes locked on one player to take the shot in that scenario.
Curry's Game Winner
"I was only throwing the ball to him [Curry] and let him do what he does," Podziemski said.
Podziemski angled the pass to avoid Phoenix's Bradley Beal, who overplayed it in hopes of coming away with the steal.
"I was just trying not let him catch it and in doing that I took myself out of the play," Beal said. "It was just a horrible gamble and he is the best to ever shoot, so you know the result after that."
Despite the difficulty of the catch and so little time remaining, the shot was simply "muscle memory" for the all-time leader in made threes.
"At that point, it is just muscle memory to shoot it," Curry said. "You live with it and thankfully it worked out."
Postgame Warriors Talk: Stephen Curry - 2/10/24
The Suns called timeout with less than a second remaining and superstar forward Kevin Durant couldn't help but smile, looking at the replay of his former teammates' shot on the Jumbotron.
"All-time great, the greatest ever at his position, top five ever, you give him a look like that for game, he's licking his chops," Durant said in admiration.
Stephen Curry dials from long distance
Head Coach Steve Kerr echoed Durant's sentiments, having seen multiple all-time greats up close en route to nine NBA champions.
"Jordan, Duncan, Steph, just get the ball to those guys and you're going to win a lot," Kerr said.
The Warriors have won six of their last seven games and Curry has averaged 32.4 points on 54.1 percent from the field, 51.1 percent from three and 91.7 percent from the free throw line in that span.
"When you got Stephen Curry, you don't worry," Gary Payton II said.