The Warriors defeated the Rockets 113-87 in a blowout victory to again become a 50.0 team. They started rusty as a unit but finished like the unforgiving fighters that they are. With this victory, GSW improved by a rank and reached #9 in the WC standings, further ensuring a play-in berth.

It was a mixed bag of a Saturday night for Warriors’ Steph Curry who struggled for a large part of the game. However, the champion point guard soon picked his focus and became the Curry that the league had seen in April 2021. 

When Steph Curry embodied a Kobe Bryant shot

The Warriors were 49-55 after the first half, and it was appearing as if the Rockets would again pull what they did against the Bucks. Mostly, the Rockets were leading because of the vulnerability of Steph Curry.

The baby faced assassin was 2/12 from the field until the second half. However, something clicked within him and he enjoyed a 7/11 second half, pulling some Kobe Bryant trademark shots on his way.

Take a look at one of his fadeaways that felt like it was Black Mamba and not Steph who played the shot – 

Remember that Kobe Bryant fadeaway jumper over Michael Jordan? Or the multiple ones over Cavaliers’ LeBron James or those on the mighty Celtics? Steph Curry literally embodied that and improvised his shot-making as the game matured. 

Also Read – WATCH: Dell Curry Saying ‘You’re Shooting Bricks, Man’ to Baby Steph Curry

Warriors’ Chef was riding on the Black Mamba mentality

Even prior to the game, the photographers had captured Steph Curry sporting a Mambacita hoodie on his way into the Toyota Center. He donned the white apparel to wish Gianna Bryant on her 15th birthday and also honor Vanessa Bryant’s new launch. Perhaps, that got him locked in, and he deliberately attempted those fadeaways to pull himself up. 

In the night, Steph dropped seven three-pointers, scoring 30 points at 39.1% FG. With him, starter Kent Bazemore was another player that struggled, but a great performance from Andrew Wiggins kept the Warriors in the game.

Both Mychal Mulder and Jordan Poole went 7/15 from the deep range and diluted Kevin Porter’s efforts. 

Now, the Warriors will face Zion Williamson’s Pelicans in back-to-back games and try to keep them away from breaching the Top 10.