The Golden State Warriors schedule blessed them with about a 10-day break in the middle of January. Having played their last game on January 15, the Warriors hosted the Atlanta Hawks on January 24 next. Golden State capped off their short break with a much-needed win over the Hawks, given how they had lost their last two matchups.
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The Warriors made the most of Trae Young’s absence as they handed the Hawks a 134-112 loss on the road. After the game, Stephen Curry spoke to a couple of reporters about a specific pass he made to Jonathan Kuminga.
While bringing the ball up the court Stephen Curry threw a bullet pass right through the middle of the Hawks defense. Leaving three defenders in a state of confusion, Curry’s pass landed right in the hands of Jonathan Kuminga who finished the play with a reverse lay-in.
As soon as Kuminga converted the basket, fans got to see an ecstatic Curry throwing his fists in the air with excitement, something that is a rare sight to see. Even after the game, Curry spoke about that specific play and the emotions that went through his mind.
“You see a lot of different looks from the defense. And that particular play you’re trying to bark out where the cut is and for us to take advantage of the blindside of the defense. I told him that was a crazy catch you made cause I saw for a second and then I didn’t. Next thing you know he’s laying it up so, my celebration was like, ‘Thank God it wasn’t a turnover’.”
Stephen Curry led his team in scoring with 25 points, 8 assists, and 3 rebounds for the game. Curry fans got to see his passing abilities, something that The Chef does not get enough credit for. Moreover, he finished the game with just 1 turnover, a stat that he has struggled with over the years.
Given how Curry was worried his pass would end up getting intercepted, his excitement after Kuminga converted those two points just goes to show how glad he was that he didn’t rack up another turnover.
Jonathan Kuminga mirroring Stephen Curry
The Golden State Warriors’ 134-112 win wasn’t just due to Stephen Curry’s outing. Klay Thompson too poured in 24 points but the talk of the night went to Jonathan Kuminga instead. Kuminga came off the bench, and scored 25 points on a perfect night, going 11-11 from the field. He also had 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks for the game.
This game was an emotional one for the entire Golden State Warriors organization. The Warriors lost their assistant coach Dejan Milojević at the age of 46 on January 17, 2024. After the game, Stephen Curry paid tribute to his late coach.
“You know Deki would love nothing more than to see us go out there compete and have fun as best we can.”
He talked about what it meant for the players and the tribute the organization wanted to give to Milojević. Having his family in attendance, Curry attributed the win over the Hawks to the late assistant coach.
Hopefully, with Draymond Green back in the lineup, the Warriors can pull it together and go on a mid-season run to improve their overall record.
