Stephen Curry picked a great time to have his worst outside shooting performance in three and a half years.
The Golden State Warriors star went 0-for-9 from 3-point range against the Boston Celtics on Monday night in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, snapping his streak of 233 games with at least one 3-pointer. The last time Curry didn't make a three in any game (regular- or postseason) was Nov. 8, 2018, a 26-point loss to the Milwaukee Bucks.
And yet the Warriors overcame Curry's cold night to beat the Celtics by double-digits (104-94) in Game 5, thanks in part to Andrew Wiggins 26-point, 13-rebound outburst and Boston's 18 turnovers.
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Perk critical of Tatum, Brown's performances in Game 5 of Finals
That's bad news for the Celtics -- because history suggests Curry will return with a vengeance in Thursday's Game 6 at TD Garden. Consider this stat from ESPN Stats & Information:
- Curry is averaging 4.4 made 3-pointers per game on 46 percent shooting in the next game after not making a 3-pointer, including a then-NBA record 13 3-pointers in November 2016 against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Those instances don't happen often; Curry has failed to make a 3-pointer in just 12 of 646 games over the last 10 regular seasons. But Curry's longest-tenured teammates are well aware of what usually follows a Curry off-night.
Boston Celtics
"That's good for us," Warriors forward Draymond Green said after Game 5. "He was 0-for-9 from three. He's going to be livid going into Game 6, and that's exactly what we need."
"I just know he'll respond," guard Klay Thompson added of his fellow Splash Brother. "He's one of the greatest competitors I've ever been around. And he's a perfectionist, like myself.
"I know he'll be thinking about the shots he missed. And that's a good thing, because Thursday, hopefully, most of the time, he regresses to the mean -- and it's scary when he does."
Curry carried the Warriors to a Game 4 win in Boston with 43 points on seven made 3-pointers. On Monday night, his supporting cast picked up the slack, led by Wiggins (26 points), Thompson (21 points) and the bench duo of Jordan Poole and Gary Payton II (29 combined points).
There's a very good chance that "superstar Steph" returns Thursday night in Game 6, however, and the Celtics will need to be very sharp defensively if they want to avoid the Warriors celebrating an NBA championship on their home floor.