42 points, six triples, and one thunderous statement from Stephen Curry. And no, it was not limited only to his usual “Night, night.” The Warriors’ Baby-Faced Assassin went nuclear against the Nuggets, sinking shots at an insane 14-of-25 clip, despite Nikola Jokic and Co. leading big, looking in control, but still ending up on the losing end, because Curry decided otherwise. That’s the analytical reality of what happened on Thursday night at Chase Center. 

The Splash Bro’s 40+ point game against the Nuggets marked the first of its kind this season, 3rd in a home opener over the last five years, and his 42nd after turning 30 years old. Only Michael Jordan has more (44) after turning 30. But Stephen Curry’s not just chasing MJ, is he?

With 72 career 40-point games, he’s breathing down Oscar Robertson’s neck (77) for the most by a point guard in NBA history. Every big night like this brings him closer to rewriting the record books yet again. But numbers only tell part of it. The Nuggets had every reason to close this one out.

Up 14 in the second quarter, up nine at halftime. Still leading by nine with seven minutes left in regulation. Then Curry woke up, and 35 points (in the second half) later, the game flipped on its head. With seconds remaining, he added a logo three to force overtime. By then, you could sense that the Warriors were playing his game now.

Curry put in seven more points in overtime, while Jimmy Butler and Al Horford buried clutch threes to cap a 137-131 stunning win for Golden State. Green filled the stat sheet with 13 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists, locking down Jokic on key possessions.

Kuminga, to his credit, put in 14, with the energy that turns games around. For a team that looked out of sync for much of the night, Steve Kerr’s system once again found its heartbeat in No. 30. Every performance like this chips away at the names above him, and honestly, who’s betting against him to get there?

What makes Stephen Curry’s late-career run even more fascinating is how different it looks. Steve Kerr’s fingerprints are all over it. His game has strengthened from the chaos of pull-ups to sheer precision. He doesn’t outrun defenders anymore; he out-thinks them.

Kerr recently revealed, “He took about an hour before he got even on the court to start his shooting routine. The amount of thought and preparation that goes into it—it’s really impressive.” That meticulous routine is how Curry keeps Father Time at bay.

Stephen Curry continues to remind everyone why he is the Golden Boy of the Golden State

At 37, he’s stretching and running resistance-band exercise sets before even starting his regular drills. And when he does hit the court, it’s all about muscle memory. “I just want the option,” Curry told EssentiallySports. “If I’m at a legitimate ability to be able to play. I don’t know if it’ll make sense or if I would want to, whatever the case is. But if I can make the decision and the decision is not made for me, that’s a big, big point.” 

Curry is under contract through 2026-27, and both he and the Warriors want to keep it that way. The franchise knows its window starts and ends with him, though this season, it’s built differently. With Jimmy Butler, Al Horford, Draymond Green, and a developing Jonathan Kuminga, the Bay Area side finally has enough veteran balance not to run Curry into the ground every night.

But even when they try to lighten the load, Stephen Curry just refuses to fade into the background…

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Last season, he averaged 24.5 points, six assists, and shot 39.7% from three while playing 70 games. And the Warriors were 27-8 in games where Curry and Butler both suited up. When he’s on the floor, Golden State’s pace and confidence are an entirely different beast. 

On Thursday, the Warriors reminded everyone why they’re never truly out of a game. They’re 2-0 to start the season and already looking like a team that’s finding rhythm faster than expected. The schedule doesn’t ease up as a quick flight to Portland awaits the second leg of a back-to-back, but that’s just how Stephen Curry likes it.

For now, the record chase continues. Two more 40-point nights to tie Jordan. Six more to pass Robertson. And countless more chances for Curry to remind us why basketball still bends around him.