PAUSED 🧿

#OnThisDay, 11 years ago today, reigning MVP and Finals champion Stephen Curry drops 40 points on the Pelicans, to kick start the upcoming historic 73-9 Warriors season. The NBA scheduled the Pelicans to open the season @ Oracle Arena as a playoff rematch from the year prior between two superstars in Curry & Anthony Davis, despite the fact Golden State swept New Orleans on route to their chip. Luke Walton coached this game for the Warriors due to Steve Kerr undergoing surgery on his back. Curry hit 7 of his 9 first shots and finished the 1st quarter with 24 points and instantly put to bed narratives against him from the summer since he did not win Finals MVP. He finished with 40, scoring the most points by a reigning MVP in season opener since Kareem Abdul Jabaar. No other Warriors player scored over 13 points, yet the game was over in the 3rd quarter. Alvin Gentry, former Warriors coach from their 2015 championship now the head coach of the Pelicans stated: “It didn’t matter who was out there…that’s just who Steph is.” Chris Sager gave Curry the postgame interview in his last season working with the NBA. (Slide 3)

Curry: 40 points | 14-26 FG | 7 assists | 6 rebounds
Klay: 9 points | 7 turnovers | 5 fouls | 3-8 FG
Draymond: 10 points | 5 fouls | 3-12 FG
Barnes: 8 points | 3-12 FG | 3 fouls

Anthony Davis: 18 points | 4-20 FG | 5 turnovers
Eric Gordon: 14 points | 5-17 FG | 4 turnovers
Kendrick Perkins: 10 points | 5-5 FG
Ish Smith: 17 points | 7-13 FG