The NBA’s seven-game slate on Saturday delivered overtime drama, comeback wins, and plenty of heated moments that went beyond the box scores. One player took a hit to the throat, while a Warriors player other than Draymond Green also found himself in a scuffle. Through all the chaos, Stephen Curry stole the spotlight with another record-breaking performance, leading Golden State to its seventh straight victory.

Stephen Curry Continues to Rewrite NBA Records

At 38, the Golden State Warriors superstar is still producing performances that few players can match. On Saturday, he dropped a game-high 41 points to lead Golden State past the Orlando Magic 126-119 in an overtime thriller. And Curry had another reason to celebrate. He broke a record previously held by LeBron James.

Chef Curry recorded his 16th game with at least 40 points since turning 35, moving ahead of LeBron’s 15. Michael Jordan ranks third with 12. He also reached 77 career 40-point games, tying Oscar Robertson for eighth place on the NBA’s all-time list.

However, Golden State had to work hard for this milestone. The Warriors looked comfortable early, taking a 57-41 lead into halftime. Orlando responded with a dominant third quarter, outscoring the hosts 37-20 to turn a 16-point deficit into a 78-77 advantage.

Stephen Curry took charge when the game entered its decisive stretch. With 2:21 remaining in the fourth, he split the defense for a layup to tie the score. He followed it with a three-pointer to put Golden State ahead. After Orlando answered from beyond the arc, Curry knocked down another three. He then converted two free throws and followed it up with a layup with 25 seconds left, giving the Warriors a 110-108 lead. But the Magic refused to go away.

Jamal Cain grabbed an offensive rebound and scored with 1.5 seconds remaining to force overtime. Stephen Curry saved his biggest contributions for the extra period.

Orlando briefly moved ahead 118-117 after Tristan da Silva’s three-pointer with 2:24 remaining. Stephen Curry answered with a driving layup and converted the ensuing free throw to restore Golden State’s lead. When Wendell Carter Jr. missed two free throws, Curry added another driving layup with 54 seconds left to make it 122-118.

He finished with 41 points, six rebounds and six assists, shooting 13-of-19 from the field, including five three-pointers. He also made all 10 free throws. Yaxel Lendeborg added 23 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, while Draymond Green handed out 13 assists.

Golden State Has Another Enforcer

George Niang and Wendell Carter Jr. nearly turned a routine NBA possession into a full-blown confrontation during the Warriors-Magic game. The trouble started early in the second frame when Niang wrapped up Orlando center and made physical contact with him. Carter immediately took exception and confronted the Warriors forward. Neither player appeared willing to back down, and the exchange quickly drew attention from everyone around them.

Several players stepped in before things could escalate further. Draymond Green was among those who intervened as teammates worked to separate the two big men. The broadcast crew also picked up on Carter’s anger as he continued to show his frustration.

“Wendell Carter needs like five people to hold him back. He wants all the smoke, and you know George Niang is okay with it,” one commentator said during the exchange. The officials eventually stepped in and assessed technical fouls to both players.

The referee announced, “We have a double technical foul. One technical foul will be on Niang and the other one will be on Carter.” Fortunately, the confrontation ended without further escalation. But the brief dustup added another heated moment to an already intense matchup.

The NBA’s Villain Nearly Headbutted His Former Teammate

This season, Dillon Brooks has already clashed with Draymond Green, Damian Lillard, and Jamal Murray. On Saturday night, he nearly headbutted his former teammate Amen Thompson during the Suns-Rockets game. The two know each other well from their time together in Houston. That familiarity helped to cool things down when they crossed paths on the court.

The incident unfolded with 5:53 left in the first quarter. Thompson missed a driving floater but grabbed the rim while trying to recover his own miss. Under NBA rules, a player cannot use the rim to gain an advantage while the ball remains live. The violation resulted in a turnover, giving Phoenix possession.

The Rockets star, however, was reluctant to surrender the ball. Brooks stepped in, and the two quickly got face-to-face. The Suns forward moved toward his former teammate, nearly bringing their foreheads together as the tension rose. Their history made the exchange even more interesting.

They shared the Rockets locker room for two seasons, from 2023 to 2025. Thompson had previously admitted that facing Brooks as an opponent brings a different kind of challenge.

“Just playing him, he is doing the antics on me now. It’s fine, I just laugh because I’m like, ‘Yo bro, I know you.’”

That’s why Thompson started laughing during their Saturday matchup as Brooks tried his antics once again.

Hawks Star Faced Massive Concern

Onyeka Okongwu’s night nearly ended before the Atlanta Hawks had even settled into their matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. Just 26 seconds into the game, the center took an elbow from Julius Randle to the chin and throat area. He went down and eventually headed to the locker room, leaving Atlanta concerned about a possible injury. However, the scare proved short-lived. The 25-year-old returned later in the first quarter and played a key role in the Hawks’ 124-121 comeback victory.

Atlanta initially listed him with a throat contusion and made him questionable to return. After undergoing an evaluation in the locker room, he received clearance to rejoin the game.

In an X post, Dr. Ribu Thomas, PT, DPT, offered some insight into what that quick return could indicate: “Him getting cleared to come back this fast tells you the airway check went well. I think he plays next game like nothing happened, maybe a little sore.”

That assessment will be encouraging for Hawks fans, particularly given where the contact landed. Okongwu also showed no obvious hesitation once he returned to action. He finished with 16 points, two rebounds, five assists, and four blocks. He shot 5-of-10 from the field, including 2-of-6 from three-point range. His +15 plus-minus was the best mark on the team. More importantly, the six-foot-ten star delivered when Atlanta needed him most.

His clutch three-pointer with 1:44 remaining cut Brooklyn’s lead to one and helped set up the Hawks’ late push. Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 30 points, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Aaron Wiggins added 20 apiece.

The Hawks erased a 17-point deficit to secure their fourth straight win. Okongwu’s return gave them a major boost, and his performance offered an encouraging sign after the early injury scare.