Curry was at his transformative best in Game 4 on Friday as the Warriors evened the series up with a 107-97 win, scoring 43 points on 14-of-26 shooting along with 10 rebounds and four assists.
The 34-year-old has averaged 34.3 points in the opening four games of the NBA Finals on astounding shooting splits of 50/49/86 per cent, for a true shooting percentage 66.4 per cent and net rating of +12.
Speaking in the leadup to Game 5, the Warriors head coach cited Curry's valuing of preparation and work to maximise his shooting talent as the reason behind his play at such a high level.
"Just the consistency of his routine," Kerr told reporters. "He's a like a metronome, every day it's the exact same thing. He's in the training room, he's in the weight room, he's on the court and it's clockwork, but there's also a sense of joy and energy within that work.
"He enjoys it so much. He loves the process, and I think that's the thing that ties all great athletes together. Like, I'm talking about the superstar athletes, the Roger Federers of the world and Steph Currys of the world.
"There is a routine that is not only super disciplined but it's really enjoyed each day, there is a passion that comes with it, and that's what sustains it over time. When you love something like those guys do, you work at it, you get better and you just keep going."
Kerr also reserved some praise for Andrew Wiggins, who has provided valuable support in the face of Klay Thompson's shooting slump and patchy form from Draymond Green.
Only making the playoffs once in his career before this season, the 27-year-old has averaged 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds, along with a steal and a block over the opening four games.
Traded to the Warriors in 2020, Wiggins has proved a compatible fit on both ends of the floor, with Kerr taking pride in his development.
"He's a very mild-mannered guy, but he's taking a leap in these playoffs, in terms of his impact on the game," the Warriors coach said. "Defensively, on the glass, you saw the other night with 16 rebounds and I think because the games are obviously so meaningful, there's more emotion from him and from everybody.
"The biggest thing is that he's a two-way player, you've got to have two-guys to make it this far and to succeed, and he has grown by leaps and bounds over the past couple of years. It's really fun to watch that growth."
Curry was at his transformative best in Game 4 on Friday as the Warriors evened the series up with a 107-97 win, scoring 43 points on 14-of-26 shooting along with 10 rebounds and four assists.
The 34-year-old has averaged 34.3 points in the opening four games of the NBA Finals on astounding shooting splits of 50/49/86 per cent, for a true shooting percentage 66.4 per cent and net rating of +12.
Speaking in the leadup to Game 5, the Warriors head coach cited Curry's valuing of preparation and work to maximise his shooting talent as the reason behind his play at such a high level.
"Just the consistency of his routine," Kerr told reporters. "He's a like a metronome, every day it's the exact same thing. He's in the training room, he's in the weight room, he's on the court and it's clockwork, but there's also a sense of joy and energy within that work.
"He enjoys it so much. He loves the process, and I think that's the thing that ties all great athletes together. Like, I'm talking about the superstar athletes, the Roger Federers of the world and Steph Currys of the world.
"There is a routine that is not only super disciplined but it's really enjoyed each day, there is a passion that comes with it, and that's what sustains it over time. When you love something like those guys do, you work at it, you get better and you just keep going."
Kerr also reserved some praise for Andrew Wiggins, who has provided valuable support in the face of Klay Thompson's shooting slump and patchy form from Draymond Green.
Only making the playoffs once in his career before this season, the 27-year-old has averaged 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds, along with a steal and a block over the opening four games.
Traded to the Warriors in 2020, Wiggins has proved a compatible fit on both ends of the floor, with Kerr taking pride in his development.
"He's a very mild-mannered guy, but he's taking a leap in these playoffs, in terms of his impact on the game," the Warriors coach said. "Defensively, on the glass, you saw the other night with 16 rebounds and I think because the games are obviously so meaningful, there's more emotion from him and from everybody.
"The biggest thing is that he's a two-way player, you've got to have two-guys to make it this far and to succeed, and he has grown by leaps and bounds over the past couple of years. It's really fun to watch that growth."
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points and Damian Lillard added 32 to help the Bucks win East Group B with a 4-0 record.
Milwaukee will host wild-card New York on either Dec. 4 or 5, with East Group C winner Boston going to Group A winner Indiana for the other quarterfinal before the Final Four in Las Vegas.
Miami, which was without second-leading scorer Jimmy Butler, dropped its second straight following a 9-1 stretch.
Bam Adebayo scored 31 points and Kyle Lowry had 21, including a 3-pointer with 3:25 remaining to put the Heat up 118-115.
The Bucks, though, finished on a 16-6 run, going 5 for 6 from the field and 5 for 5 from the line. Lillard made two free throws with 63 seconds to play to help put it out of reach.
Milwaukee lost forward Pat Connaughton to a sprained right ankle in the second quarter.
Kings rally past Warriors to advance
Malik Monk sank a fadeaway with 7 seconds remaining and the Sacramento Kings rallied from 11 down in the fourth quarter for a 124-123 win over the Golden State Warriors.
De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points and Monk and Kevin Huerter each added 21 for the Kings, who won their group with a 4-0 record and will host New Orleans next week in the quarterfinals.
Sacramento needed a win or a loss by 11 points or fewer to advance but erased a 21-point deficit to win for the seventh time in nine games.
Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins led the Warriors with 29 points apiece, but Golden State dropped to 2-8 in its last 10 games.
Timberwolves star Edwards injured in win
Rudy Gobert had 17 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks as the Minnesota Timberwolves overcame an injury to star guard Anthony Edwards in a 106-103 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in the In-Season Tournament.
Edwards had 12 of his 21 points in the third quarter before landing hard on his right side during a dunk attempt and leaving with a bruised right hip.
Coach Chris Finch had no more details on the injury or whether Edwards would miss time.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting but his 37-foot try at the buzzer, his only 3-point attempt of the night, was well off the mark.
Reserve Troy Brown Jr. scored 17 points and Naz Reid added 15 for Minnesota, which improved the West’s best record to 12-4.
Embiid – the reigning MVP - added seven assists and six rebounds in nearly 30 minutes in his first game since Jan. 30.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 25 points and Tobias Harris added 18 for the 76ers, who have won two straight following a 1-5 slide.
They are eighth in the Eastern Conference, 1 ½ games behind Miami.
Chet Holmgren scored 22 points and Lu Dort and Aaron Wiggins added 15 apiece as the Thunder failed to win a third straight and dropped one-half game behind Denver for the Western Conference lead.
Oklahoma City squandered an 11-point lead midway through the fourth quarter and was without All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the third time in four games with a quad injury.
Jokic’s big night powers Nuggets
Nikola Jokić had 42 points and 16 rebounds and Michael Porter Jr. hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 28 seconds left to lift the Denver Nuggets to a 110-105 win over the San Antonio Spurs.
Jokic’s hook shot snapped a 103-all tie but Victor Wembanyma’s layup at the other end tied it again with 62 seconds left.
Porter, who had 15 points and a career-high 16 rebounds, then drilled a 3 to put Denver ahead to stay.
Wembanyama had 23 points, 15 boards, eight assists and nine blocks to nearly complete the NBA’s first quadruple-double since David Robinson in 1994.
Denver moved atop the Western Conference – a half-game ahead of Oklahoma City and Minnesota.
Warriors stay hot, cool Mavericks
Andrew Wiggins scored 23 points and the Golden State Warriors survived Luka Dončić’s 20th triple-double of the season in a 104-100 victory to end the Dallas Mavericks’ seven-game winning streak.
Doncic had 30 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists and trails only Domantas Sabonis (23) and Nikola Jokić (23) in triple-doubles. The Dallas superstar also notched his 48th 30-point game of the season, trailing only Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (50).
Klay Thompson and Chris Paul each scored 14 points and Stephen Curry had 13 on 5-of-18 shooting as the Warriors tied a season high with their fifth straight win.
Wiggins featured for the first time since February 13, having missed two months because of a family matter, and impressed in his 28-minute display – finishing with 17 points on 7-of-16 shooting and four blocked shots as the Warriors went down 126-123 at Golden 1 Center.
His performance impressed Kerr, particularly his first half display, and the signs look promising for the rest of the series.
"So awesome to have him back. You know, we're whole with him out there. Our team makes sense with Wiggs back. I thought he looked really good," Kerr said.
"The first half was amazing, second half he maybe wore down a little bit, which is to be expected, given he hasn't played in a game in over two months. He was fantastic."
Stephen Curry had a similar assessment of Wiggins' return, saying: "When you go through all the decisions to put a roster together, all of the pieces have to be fit.
"He's a big part of everything we do. When you go into a season, you want to be as fully healthy as possible because that's the way all the pieces are meant to fit.
"We haven't had it for a very long time, and we tried to hold down the fort. Now we have that look back."
The Warriors meet the Kings in Game 2 on Monday, then finishing the series with back-to-back home games on Thursday and Sunday.
Curry made 14 of his 19 points in the final quarter, shooting five-of-18 for the game including three-of-10 from beyond the arc, as the Warriors edged past the Nets minus James Harden (hand) and Kevin Durant (knee).
The two-time MVP's struggles continued a below-par recent run, shooting at 35 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc in his past five games. Curry has shot at 42 percent from the field and 38 percent from three-point range across this season.
"It's a question I'll keep getting if he's not shooting the ball well, but I'm not worried about him," Kerr said at the post-game news conference.
"I'm not. He's Steph Curry, one of the great players of all time. He's had a tough night tonight but he helps us win routinely and does so much beyond just making shots. It'll come round for him."
Curry has previously been impacted by a hand injury and appeared to favour that at times on Saturday but Kerr insisted it was not currently an issue or reason for his slump.
"He's told me he feels great physically," Kerr said. "We've talked a lot about the schedule and the minutes.
"I'm really aware of what needs to happen in terms of monitoring his minute and when we can push him harder and when we can't. I think he's in a good place physically. He's going to be fine."
Curry became the Warriors' all-time career leader in games after surpassing Chris Mullin's mark of 808 appearances on Saturday.
The 33-year-old point guard broke the NBA's all-time record for most three-pointers made earlier this season while he also holds several single-season team milestones too, but Kerr praised Curry's loyalty, having been with the Warriors since being pick seven in the 2009 NBA Draft.
“I love that particular record just because it signifies his loyalty to the franchise and vice-versa,” Kerr said pre-game.
“The love affair that exists between Steph and The Bay is pretty unique.”
First-time All-Star Andrew Wiggins kept the Warriors going in the first half with 17 points, finishing with a team-high 24 points along with eight rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
"Andrew was phenomenal tonight. [Two] blocks and three steals," Kerr said. "[He was] All over the place defensively and on offense he was our most consistent player.
"He carried us in the first half. He’s playing with a lot of confidence and showing why he's an All-Star."
Meanwhile, Nets head coach Steve Nash offered an update on Harden who missed the game with a hand strain.
"We'll have to see how it settles but we're hopeful [for next game]," Nash said.
Wiggins was entering the final year of his previous deal and will now be owed a total of $143million over the next five seasons.
The news, reported initially by ESPN, comes just hours after Golden State and Jordan Poole were revealed to have agreed to a four-year, $140million extension.
Wiggins was a crucial contributor to the Warriors title run in June, with the 27-year-old averaging 18.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists in the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.
The number one overall pick in 2014, Wiggins had several productive seasons on losing teams with the Minnesota Timberwolves but had his best moments as a pro in the 2022 playoffs as a two-way force for the Warriors.
Wiggins has averaged 19.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 598 career games.
With Wiggins, Poole and star Stephen Curry signed at least through the 2025-26 season, attention now turns to veterans Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, who are under contract this season and have player options in 2023-24.
The Warriors were well over the NBA's luxury tax threshold last season, paying over $300million for their roster, an NBA record.
This year's bill will be even more expensive for team owner Joe Lacob.
Despite Lacob's track record of paying exorbitant taxes to maximise the Warriors' chances at more championships, some have wondered if there will be enough money to go around in two years to keep Green and Thompson in the Bay Area.
Golden State are tied for the best record in the NBA at 27-7 and the Warriors beat the team level with them, the Phoenix Suns, in Arizona on their previous away trip.
Since then, the Warriors have paid the price for a slow start in a narrow home defeat to the Denver Nuggets and seen a return clash in Colorado postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak within their opponents' camp.
That at least gave the Warriors the chance for extra rest ahead of a meeting with the red-hot Jazz, who are third in the conference with a 25-9 record and riding a five-game winning streak.
They maintained their winning run without star point guard Donovan Mitchell, who has missed the previous two games with a strained back, Rudy Gobert leading Utah to a 120-105 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers last time out.
Utah will hope Mitchell returns to set up a compelling matchup with the NBA's three-point king Stephen Curry, who became the first man to reach 3,000 career three-pointers in that defeat to the Nuggets.
Curry will predictably shoulder the scoring burden for the Warriors as the long-awaited return of his 'Splash Brother' Klay Thompson from a two-season-long absence grows closer.
With Draymond Green and Jordan Poole both in the NBA's coronavirus protocol, it may have to be a one-man show in Salt Lake City if the Warriors are to prevail, Golden State having scored under 90 points for the first time this season in the loss to Denver.
PIVOTAL PERFORMERS
Golden State Warriors – Andrew Wiggins
Minus Curry's chief facilitator in Green and emerging young guard Poole, the primary support for the Warriors' main man must come from Wiggins.
The former number one overall pick has finally found a home with the Warriors and leads the team with an effective field goal percentage of 56.6.
Utah Jazz – Rudy Gobert
The man known as the Stifle Tower is enjoying a magnificent season.
France international Gobert leads the league in rebounds per game (14.9) and field goal percentage (71.6), while he is second for blocks per game (2.3). However, given Curry's tendency for feasting on centers, the Jazz will surely try to avoid getting him isolated on the Golden State star.
KEY BATTLE – Can Mitchell master Chef Curry?
Mitchell has been sensational when on the court this season. He is averaging 25.4 points per game while his plus-minus per game of 7.6 is the eighth-best in the NBA.
However, both those numbers are inferior to Curry, who is second in the league with 27.7 points and leads the NBA with an average plus-minus of 11.7.
Few players can claim to have come anywhere close to matching Curry's overall influence this campaign. Mitchell's ability to do so on New Year's Day could have a huge bearing on who eventually claims the one seed in the West.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
The Warriors have won their past two games against the Jazz, though both of those triumphs came at home. Golden State's most recent win in the Beehive state came back in October 2018.
The NBA announced Friday it had denied Wiggins' request for an exemption from COVID-19 vaccination requirements, and the forward's status was the prime topic of discussion at the team's pre-season media day.
Beginning October 13, San Francisco will require vaccinations for all participants age 12 and older at large indoor events unless an exemption is granted for medical or religious reasons.
Wiggins had sought one on medical grounds, but the NBA's denial means he will not be eligible to play in home games at Chase Center.
Golden State star Curry, who has been an outspoken advocate of vaccinations, was asked whether he believes Wiggins' decision is acceptable as a member of a team.
"Acceptable is a strong word," he said. "It's not ideal.... We hope we have a full team for the entire year and understand that, on all accounts and what the research says and things like that, that [the vaccines are] safe and we're all in the same boat.
"So we hope he's available, and if not, we'll adjust accordingly. But we hope not."
Wiggins deflected numerous questions about the topic during his session with reporters Monday, repeatedly saying he was going to keep his thoughts on the matter "private".
One reporter noted that Wiggins said last year he would get vaccinated if he had to in order to play and asked him if he felt like his back was against the wall in having to choose between his personal beliefs and being able to play.
"Back is definitely against the wall," he said. "But just going to keep fighting for what I believe, whether it's one thing or another, get the vaccination or not get the vaccination, who knows.
"I'm just going to keep fighting for what I believe and what I believe is right. What's right to one person isn't right to the other."
While controversy swirls around Wiggins, the men at the top of the organisation expressed the hope that the situation would be resolved by the time the regular season begins on October 19.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he has not reached the point of trying to figure out how to account for regular absences by unvaccinated players.
"I haven't spent any time thinking about that, nor will I. We'll just see how everything plays out. We're hopeful that it is all resolved in the next couple of weeks but we are going into camp [Tuesday] with a plan to have everybody out on the floor and ready to roll."
General manager Bob Myers echoed that sentiment, saying he was not interested in discussing hypotheticals and is preparing to start the season with the full team available.
"I get why people have to wonder," he said. "But we're going to deal in reality now and that's what we're doing each day."
Wiggins played 71 games last NBA season, averaging 18.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game.
"Andrew looks great, feeling good and is ready to go," Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters after practice Thursday.
Wiggins last played on February 13 and spent several weeks away from his team while attending to a family matter. He returned to practice last week to re-acclimate himself and work on conditioning, but the Warriors remain unclear on how much to expect from Wiggins right away after two months off.
Donte DiVincenzo started in all but one of Golden State’s final 25 regular-season games while Wiggins was away, and the team could opt for the status quo until their All-Star forward is back in top form.
"I think it sort of depends on how he feels [Friday] and going into Saturday,” Kerr said. "On the one hand, 'Wiggs' is one of those guys who just doesn't seem to fall out of shape or get tired. He's just a naturally gifted athlete.
"On the other hand, he hasn't played in 10 weeks. So maybe the game will dictate it. We'll just have to play it by ear."
A 2021-22 All-Star, Wiggins played a critical part in the Warriors winning the NBA title last summer, their fourth in an eight-season span.
Wiggins was especially valuable in the NBA Finals, averaging 18.3 points and 8.8 rebounds while spending heavy minutes defending Boston Celtics stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
"Defense, rebounding," center Kevon Looney said Wednesday when asked how Wiggins helps the Warriors. "He's a guy that guards the other team's best players.
"And he's a guy that when the shot clock is getting low, you can just throw him the ball and he's going to get a bucket. That's something we've been missing all year.
"To have him back for the playoffs is going to be important for our team. The playoffs, teams start taking some things away. Sometimes you got to go get a bucket, and he's one of the best at that."
A nine-year NBA veteran, Wiggins averaged 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 37 games this season.
In three games against the Kings this season, Wiggins scored 24, 25 and 26 points while shooting over 50 percent from the floor in each contest.
Wiggins scored a season-high 36 points on 14-of-19 field shooting with a joint career-high eight three-pointers, including three in a row in the third quarter at the Chase Center.
Curry added 30 points, including eight triples, as well as providing 10 assists for Golden State, who have won five of their past six games.
Jordan Poole, who came into the starting line-up for Klay Thompson who was rested, also had 21 points with five three-pointers. Center Kevon Looney had 12 rebounds with nine points.
The Warriors shot 25-of-52 from three-point range as a team, compared to the Rockets who went at 10.7 per cent from beyond the arc, making three-of-28 attempts.
Golden State became the second team in NBA history to make 20 three-pointers in four of five games.
Gobert ejected in Timberwolves defeat
Rudy Gobert was ejected for deliberately tripping Kenrich Williams as the Minnesota Timberwolves were beaten 135-128 by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The French center was given a flagrant 2 foul and ejected in the second quarter when he tangled with Williams, appearing to sweep a leg out while on the ground, seeing his unbalanced opponent tumble.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander top scored for OKC with 33 points and six assists, while for the Timberwolves, who were already without Karl-Anthony Towns (calf), D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards scored 27 and 26 points respectively.
Short-handed Bucks down Hornets
The Milwaukee Bucks overcame the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo due to left knee soreness as they moved to 16-6 with a 105-96 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.
The Bucks, who are second in the Eastern Conference, were also without Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday but Bobby Portis (20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists) stepped up.
Jordan Nwora added 17 points, while Brook Lopez (14 points including three three-pointers and six rebounds) and Jevon Carter (14 points and six assists) were strong contributors.
Wiggins' vaccination status had been a subject of much controversy in recent days, the former first overall pick facing the prospect of being unable to play in home games for Golden State.
San Francisco is among the major cities that have laws restricting unvaccinated persons from entering sports arenas, restaurants and other public spaces.
That would have meant Wiggins being prevented from featuring in games at the Warriors' Chase Center and forfeiting salary as a result.
The NBA confirmed on Wednesday that players would not be paid should they miss games for a failure to comply with local vaccine mandates.
Wiggins, therefore, risked missing out on a substantial portion of a salary worth over $30million for the 2021-22 season.
But head coach Steve Kerr confirmed on Sunday that Wiggins had elected to get the vaccine.
Wiggins had previously applied for an exemption on religious grounds but saw that request rejected by the NBA.
The small forward has missed 22 games for the Warriors since taking a temporary leave from the team in order to deal with a family illness.
Wiggins has declined to elaborate on the specifics, but was back with Steve Kerr's side for Tuesday's 136-125 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Now, with his return to the fold, the 28-year-old has set his sights on playing once again, having last featured against the Washington Wizards in February.
"I don't think it will be too long before I am out there," he said. "I felt really good right before I left. I felt like I was in a rhythm, was making shots, moving well.
"Hopefully, I'll be right back where I left off. [But] when you're in a certain situation and your family needs you and requires your attention and love, that's my first priority.
"My career, everything, family is always first for me. When I felt like I was in a safe space to come back, we got everything settled in a safe place."
Coach Steve Kerr effectively ruled out a role for Wiggins in Friday's trip to the Sacramento Kings, noting they would assess him over the coming week.
"We'll have a better idea in the next couple of days," he added. "There's no way he's playing in the next few days, I can tell you that.
"But I think once we have an assessment over the next couple of days, we'll have a better idea of when he might be able to play."
The Warriors follow their trip to Sacramento with their last regular season fixture, against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.
