Stephen Curry continued to play out of his mind last week
We saw a King not named LeBron showed up in Cali, while Harden blew up on Wednesday for 50+. But a little Clipper still managed to outdo him that night. In other news, the Baby-Faced Assassin owned CP3…again.
This is The Week That Was.
2015: The Year of Curry
As a Jamaican, I love curry chicken and curry goat as much as the next cat, but Stephen Curry is unlike any curry anyone has ever experienced. He has developed from being a less-than-athletic shooting guard who played at the point into the league’s most feared deadeye shooter with the elite ball handling skills needed to create his own shot. He used his handles to further his MVP case by shattering the ankles of Cliff Paul’s twin brother.
Late in the second quarter of Tuesday’s contest in L.A., Curry was dribbling through traffic near the baseline as Chris Paul tried to stay with him. At that moment, Curry embarrassed the mess out of Paul with a ferocious crossover that left the Warriors’ bench in uncontrolled excitement.
Stephen Curry Sends Chris Paul to his Knees vs Cippers | March 31, 2015: https://t.co/Vic9H6KYnx via @YouTube
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) April 4, 2015
-This video was uploaded by AshTex
This isn’t the first time this has occurred, though. Back in early March, Curry shook Paul enough to get him jumping up for a block before Curry nailed a jumper.
Stephen Curry Fakes out Chris Paul: https://t.co/wxPddhUbey via @YouTube
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) April 4, 2015
-This video was uploaded by NBA
The internet has naturally gotten all over the first crossover I mentioned here, turning Chris Paul‘s breakdance move into a viral meme.
Oh, Lance. https://t.co/A4xIUPZC9H
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) April 4, 2015
-This Vine was posted by RJ Layug
This next one was so good, that even Chris Paul posted it on his own Instagram.
Oh Interwebz, you amuse me to no end.
What’s most important to both Curry and Paul, however, is the outcome of the game. To no one’s surprise, Curry one-upped Paul there too, since the Warriors made a comeback to defeat the Clippers 110-106, winning their 10th straight game. This win put them an incredible 48 games above .500, making them the absolute favorite to win the Finals this year.
Speaking of Chris Paul, as much as we poke fun at him for break dancing in front of Steph Curry, it’s tough to put a man down when he dishes 17 assists…
Harden and Post-Curry CP3 Explode
James Harden completely stole Curry’s thunder after accumulating a career-high 51 points on the lowly Kings on April Fools. He even outshined DeMarcus Cousins, who recorded his second career triple-double, which was also his first of the season, that night. Mind you, besting Boogie is exceptionally hard to do when he’s got 11 points, nine boards, six dimes, five blocks, and a couple steals…by halftime! Not very far from a quadruple-double there, eh?
James Harden Scores Career-High 51-Points: https://t.co/ZOrsEKHEuT via @YouTube
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) April 4, 2015
-This video was uploaded by the NBA
Cousins finished with 24 points, 21 boards, 10 dimes, six blocks, and three steals in what seemed to be a mere pick up game against the Rockets. Just eight dudes have amassed 20 points and 20 boards during a trip-dub since 1985-86, with just one other guy doing such with five blocks…Kings’ legend Chris Webber. The Kings would be crazy to shut down Cousins when he’s pulling out performances like this, even though it’s a lost season.
DeMarcus Cousins Nets 2nd Career Triple-Double in Loss: https://t.co/SkriqxmI9f via @YouTube
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) April 4, 2015
-This video was uploaded by the NBA
I’ll admit that the Kings played great team basketball in this one. It wasn’t “Cousins’ and Co.,” which is what we are used to seeing from this group. However, Harden was so hot, a firemen would’ve been needed to cool him off. The Kings rolling on all cylinders just couldn’t stop him, falling 115-111. Harden was 8-of-9 from downtown and drained 16-of-25 shots. A game from the Beard isn’t complete without nailing 11-of-13 from the line.
That same night, Chris Paul redeemed himself in a big way after getting shredded by the internet the night before. He impressively dismantled the Blazers for a career-high 41 points, 17 dimes, four steals, and one sole turnover in nearly 40 minutes during the second game of a back-to-back. He led his Clips to victory 126-122, and I feel like LeBron is right in his post regarding the Point God.
Chris Paul Full Highlights 2015.04.01 at Blazers – 41 Pts, 17 Dimes, Poi…: https://t.co/Imuet5xKYJ via @YouTube
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) April 4, 2015
-This video was uploaded by FreeDawkins
People have forgotten about Paul this season because they’re so used to him being outstanding, and because his peers at the point have finally stepped up to his level. The fans love guys like Curry and Russell Westbrook more because their rise to the top is newer, and thus more exciting. Plus, Paul has never advanced to the conference championship round, but you can’t blame his performance for that. He’s arguably been the league’s best point guard for the better part of a decade. Even with the emergence of more top-tier talent at the position this season, Paul is still a bonafide top-five guy at the point.
Getting back to the game, though, something rather humorous happened late in this contest. Clippers’ player Dahntay Jones headbutted Chris Paul in the chin.
-This GIF can be found at Uproxx.com
Now the whole sequence of this is funny in an awkward way, but it’s more hilarious when you know that this isn’t Jones’ first time getting too close to someone. Not only does he have a history of messing with Kobe Bryant, but back in March he intentionally bumped Draymond Green during a post-game interview. What’s this guy’s problem?
Draymond Green was ready to swing. https://t.co/9iXQrC0v49
— Jonathan Ebanks (@hogz4lyfe) April 4, 2015
-This Vine was posted by Steve Noah
Run DMC Gets Second Straight Triple-Double
“Absolutely Incredible" https://t.co/kZQrJdVg8S
— Sacramento Kings (@SacramentoKings) April 4, 2015
-This Vine was posted by the Sacramento Kings
On Friday night, DeMarcus Cousins went against Anthony Davis and the Pelicans to see who was daily fantasy’s supreme ruler. Even though the Kings were trounced 101-95, Cousins became the ultimate DFS don with 24 points (9-of-22 shooting, 6-of-10 from the charity stripe), 20 rebounds, a career-high 13 assists, and four blocks.
This performance made Cousins the first man since Larry Bird in 1985 to finish consecutive games with at least 20 points, 15 boards, and 10 assists. The 24-year-old All-Star has been completely unstoppable despite the chaos around him in Sacramento. After that performance, he bumped his season averages up to 24.1 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game. This game was the Kings’ fourth straight loss, putting them at 26-49, but don’t blame Cousins.
Jonathan Ebanks is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Jonathan, check out his archive and follow him @hogz4lyfe.
