Stephen Curry continues to provide more proof that he is clearly the greatest player in Golden State Warriors history.
The two-time MVP and three-time NBA champion added another record to his amazing resume by becoming the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with a sensational 53-point performance against the Denver Nuggets to keep the Warriors’ playoff hopes alive.
Unfortunately for the Nuggets, they suffered a potentially catastrophic injury in that game which could derail their championship hopes. Meanwhile, All-Star big men Zion Williamson and Joel Embiid continued to look unstoppable.
Read on below to check out SBOTOP’s key takeaways from another eventful night of NBA action.
Sensational Curry singlehandedly keeping Warriors’ playoff hopes alive
Stephen Curry made more history as he passed the great Wilt Chamberlain to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer after his 53-point outburst to beat the Denver Nuggets, 116-107.
That was Curry’s third 50-plus point game of the season. He had set a new career-high of 62 points against the Portland Trail Blazers on January 4th.
Curry has been on an absolute tear of late, averaging over 38 points over his last seven games since returning from a bruised tailbone. After missing most of last season due to injury, the 33-year-old is still among the best players in the league, averaging over 30 points per game.
With the win, the Warriors remain one game ahead of the streaking New Orleans Pelicans for the 10th and final place in the Western Conference play-in tournament.
The Warriors suffered a blow with the loss of rookie big man James Wiseman due to a knee injury. But as long as Chef Curry is cooking like he was against the Nuggets, their hopes of returning to the postseason remain very much alive.
Nuggets’ title hopes in the balance after Murray injury
On the other side, the Denver Nuggets might have lost much more than just a game. That was because starting point guard Jamal Murray – who had just returned after missing the last four games – went down with a non-contact knee injury late in their loss to the Warriors and was helped off the court.
There are no NBA 2021 updates yet on the true extent of Murray’s injury, which could potentially need further tests.
The Nuggets had won three of the four games without Murray and were on an eight-game winning streak before losing back-to-back games to the Boston Celtics and the Warriors. Nikola Jokic was playing like the legitimate MVP frontrunner, and the addition of Aaron Gordon just before the trade deadline had them looking like potential title contenders.
However, the Nuggets need Murray (21.3 PPG this season) in order to make any sort of noise in the postseason. His remarkable performances in last year’s playoffs helped them overturn two 3-1 deficits against the Utah Jazz and LA Clippers as they made it all the way to the Western Conference finals.
Hopefully, Murray’s knee injury is not as serious as it initially appeared. But if it keeps him out for the remainder of the season, the Nuggets’ NBA 2021 odds of winning the title will take a serious hit.
Zion Williamson leading Pelicans’ play-in push
The New Orleans Pelicans are nowhere near title contention right now, but they could be eventually if Zion Williamson continues to play at such a high level.
Williamson has been sensational, scoring 30 or more points on exceptional efficiency in each of his last three games to lead the Pelicans to three straight wins.
The 20-year-old has been handed the responsibility to handle the ball and initiate the team’s offence, which has resulted in him taking his game to another level. His unique skillset of elite explosiveness and guard-like agility in a behemoth’s body has made him the nearly unstoppable force that many projected he could be coming out of college.
The Pelicans remain a game back of the Warriors for the final spot in the play-in game. But with Zion in the incredible form he is in, they should clearly not be counted out of the race.
Joel Embiid getting back to his best
Over in the East, Joel Embiid is getting back to his best after his recent injury layoff. The All-Star big man dropped 36 points in just 26 minutes against the Dallas Mavericks to lead the Sixers to a 113-95 win.
Embiid has been exceptional in terms of drawing fouls and getting to the free-throw line all season, and he is seemingly back to top form in that regard. He has shot 15 or more free throws three times in five games since returning to the line-up.
After looking like the MVP frontrunner prior to his injury, it might be too late for Embiid to overtake Jokic in that race. But his return to top form should help the Sixers cement one of the top two seeds in the East.
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