Golden State Warriors

At every twist and turn that his black-and-white sneakers made on March 16, 2024, Stephen Curry discovered that time, in some form, told an impactful story. From the added chapter into his age-old rivalry with LeBron James to the 20-minute clock stoppage that challenged the Golden State Warriors’ late-game momentum, the recently-turned 36-year-old found himself battling — yet winning — the night’s challenges. Perhaps, with NBA history’s most productive shooting stroke and the off-ball mastery to match, the result should’ve been long expected. Following in his lead, Golden State took to the postseason-like road atmosphere with purpose, flawlessly working a 38-assist, seven-turnover gameplan to perfection for a must-have victory. The Warriors’ strategy was reminiscent of their decade-long approach, with Curry providing the fireworks through a 31-point showing and his Springfield-bound confidant closely tethered. Temporarily acclimating himself to a reserve role, Klay Thompson (26 points) joined Jonathan Kuminga (23 points) on the night’s can’t-be-guarded list, with Draymond Green (six points, 12 rebounds, 13 assists) offering intangibles. Weathering the storm of James’ timeless 40-point game, the teamwork-driven win helped the Warriors pull into a record-based tie for the Western Conference’s No. 9 seed with roughly a month remaining.