publish time

20/12/2023

author name Arab Times

publish time

20/12/2023

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry reacts after scoring a 3-point basket against the Boston Celtics during overtime of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco. (AP )

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 20 (AP): Stephen Curry let fly a high-arcing 3-pointer just like those he practices time and again during his extensive pre-game routine, and swished it through the net right in front of his wild, celebratory Warriors teammates on the bench. Night-night, indeed, just as the superstar signaled with both hands at the side of his cheek as he took off running the other way.

"It was a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow,” said rookie Tracye Jackson-Davis, who delivered a key block against Boston star Jaylen Brown in OT and notched his first double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds as the Warriors rallied past the Celtics 132-126 on Tuesday night. Curry caught a skip pass from Chris Paul, who had corralled an offensive rebound, and connected on that 3 with 12 seconds left in overtime on the way to scoring 33 points, and Golden State made enough timely plays and stops to snap Boston's five-game winning streak.

"Nothing shocks me with Steph, that shot was insane, the catch-and-shoot, the arc,” coach Steve Kerr said, "but I fully expected it to go in, and I think all of our fans did, too. The guy's magical. I can't explain it. That's just the kind of stuff he does.”

Jonathan Kuminga made a steal and uncontested dunk to put the Warriors ahead in overtime then grabbed a key rebound on the other end that led to another scoring play, and Boston missed key chance after chance when it mattered most. Klay Thompson hit a tying 3-pointer with 2:18 remaining in regulation then Derrick White answered from deep before Curry connected from the top to even it up again at 121. The Celtics then missed four shots on their next possession and again before the buzzer sounded for regulation. Other key opportunities were wasted in the final minute of OT.