SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 56.8 seconds remaining to follow up a 30-footer less than a minute earlier, and his 45-point home opener lifted the Golden State Warriors over the Los Angeles Clippers 115-113 Thursday night.
The reigning NBA scoring champion even secured a key rebound with 36 seconds left before calmly converting a pair of free throws with 4.7 seconds on the clock.
Curry threw his arms up in sheer delight, waved to acknowledge the adoring fans as shot after shot dropped through the net and screamed in celebration — no trash about it.
Chants of “MVP!” began late in the first, and by the time the buzzer sounded to finish the initial period, Curry already had topped his total from two nights earlier with 25 points on 9-of-9 shooting and five 3-pointers as Golden State built a 44-27 lead.
The two-time MVP shot just 5 for 21 — making 2 of 8 3s — on the way to 21 points in a season-opening road win at the Lakers on Tuesday night in a performance that he called “trash.”
Damion Lee hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 5:55 remaining and scored 11 points off the bench while Andrew Wiggins added 17 points and six rebounds.