The unfathomable heroics of Stephen Curry have crushed the hopes of several of his competitors over the years. The Sacramento Kings fell prey to this in 2023 when the Golden State Warriors talisman scored an outcome-defining 50 points against them. More than a year later, Leandro Barbosa, the assistant coach of the Kings, looked back on the game while voicing his thoughts.
Reflecting on the defeat, the 41-year-old praised Curry’s basketball prowess. He admitted that, beyond a certain point, the roster ran out of answers to counter the 2x MVP. Yet, Barbosa took pride in the roster’s endeavors, which resulted in them surpassing expectations during that campaign.
While expressing his viewpoint to NBC’s Monte Poole, the former Warriors star revealed,
“When you have Mr. Steph Curry drop 50 points, ain’t nothing you can do about that… We tried very hard but it was impossible to stop him… It was very hurtful because we did such a good job in the regular season and overall, that series was great… We couldn’t pull the win in Game 7. But I think we did a good job overall.”
"It was impossible to stop him."
Leandro Barbosa on Steph Curry's 50-point performance in Game 7 against the Kings pic.twitter.com/DZO5OigpIg
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) June 16, 2024
His statement did justice to the charismatic performance of Curry back in late April 2023. After losing Game 6 at home, the Warriors traveled to Golden 1 Center as underdogs in Game 7.
Yet, the 10x All-Star never let the pressure get to his team, scoring 50 points while shooting 20-38 from the field. On top of this, the Akron-born registered 8 rebounds, and 6 assists to contribute to the overall gameplay. This turned the contest into one-sided, paving the way for a 120-100 away win to clinch the first-round series.
The Kings had made the headlines for recording an amazing season. They emerged as a powerhouse in the West, securing the 3rd seed in the regular season with a 48-34 run. Following this, they put up an impressive fight against then-defending champions in the postseason, adding value to Barbosa’s comments.
This defeat left a scar in the hearts of the Kings players. And much to their delight, fate gave them a golden opportunity to rewrite the story.
Stephen Curry failed to repeat the past
Throughout the 2023/24 season, both teams failed to capitalize on their past campaign’s momentum. However, despite a lackluster season, they eventually qualified for the play-in tournament. As luck would have it, they again met at the Golden 1 Center to decide their fate.
By this time, the Kings had learned from their mistake. They refused to let the momentum slip away, dominating from the first minute of the clash.
As always, Curry stepped up to rescue the franchise but eventually failed. The Kings’ collective endeavors eclipsed his 22 points on the night. Of course, Klay Thompson shooting 0-10 did not help Curry’s efforts in the game. As a result, the hosts claimed a 118-94 victory, progressing further into the postseason, while the visitors were knocked out.
This gave rise to a sweet revenge story in the NBA while intensifying the rivalry between two California giants. The fans remain hopeful for several such clashes in the future, exciting them about the prospects.
