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Curry leads Warriors to win against Magic
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
ORLANDO, Fla. — This is a good time to be guard Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. He can’t miss. They don’t lose.
Curry scored 28 points in 24 minutes Wednesday night, leading the Warriors to their seventh consecutive victory by blistering the Orlando Magic, 111-96, at the Amway Center.
The Warriors (12-2) are riding the best start in franchise history and not shy about their championship aspirations this season.
Curry, who scored 40 points the night before in Miami, made nine of 13 shots and six of eight from 3-point range. In the past two games, he has combined to make 14 of 19 3-pointers.
“I always think he’s going to make every shot,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “That’s what you expect. He’s got the most beautiful rhythm to a shot that I’ve ever seen. There’s just a flow to his whole game now, and when everything is clicking, and you see him take a shot, it’s a shock when it doesn’t go in.”
The Warriors, who beat the Heat by 17 points Tuesday, dominated from the start and led by as many as 27 points in the third quarter Wednesday, coasting through the fourth period with the reserves preserving another easy victory.
“We’re playing some good basketball all around right now, and my confidence is pretty high now shooting the ball,” Curry said. “We’re expecting to win a championship. That’s what we’re working toward every day. We’ve got some pretty good tunnel vision right now.”
The Magic (6-11) lost their third consecutive game. They were led by forward Tobias Harris, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Center Nikola Vucevic had 11 points and 13 rebounds for his 13th double-double of the season. Guard Victor Oladipo had 12 points. Rookie guard Elfrid Payton had 13 points and five assists.
“They (Warriors) are good enough where they still make shots with hands in their faces,” Magic coach Jacque Vaughn said. “We have to learn that when things aren’t going well on offense, you can’t let it affect you defensively.”
The Warriors, who lead the NBA in field-goal percentage, shot 51.8 percent (44 of 85) Wednesday, while limiting the Magic to just 41.4 percent (36 of 87).
Forward Harrison Barns had 16 points and five rebounds. Reserves Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala had 15 and 13 points, respectively, for the Warriors. Center Andrew Bogut had 12 rebounds, seven assists and six points.
“We’ve got to respect the process, but there is a championship caliber mindset in this locker room,” Livingston said. “We want to be that elite team, and not just one of them. We want the top spot, and the potential to do that is here.”
The Warriors won 51 games last season, but lost to the Clippers in the first round of the playoffs. They have not been past the second round of the playoffs since 1975.
The Magic never got closer than 15 points in the fourth quarter, and never seriously challenged in the second half.
The Warriors led, 65-52, at halftime, riding the early hot shooting of Curry. He had 25 points by intermission, and hit all five of his 3-point attempts. The Warriors shot 56.5 percent (26 of 46) from the field and 58.3 percent (7 of 12) from 3-point range in those first two periods.
The Warriors jumped to a 10-0 lead in the first two minutes and led by as many as 16 points late in the second quarter. The Magic led once, 38-36.
The Magic got 11 points and eight rebounds from Vucevic in the first half, but it was Curry stealing the show. He hit four 3-pointers in the first nine minutes of the game.
NOTES: Magic F/C Kyle O’Quinn returned to the active roster after missing the previous 15 games with a sprained left ankle. He originally was hurt on opening night. “He gives us another rim protector, a presence in the paint,” Coach Jacque Vaughn said. Also back for the Magic was F Tobias Harris, who missed the previous two games with a strained right calf. … Warriors G Stephen Curry, who had 40 points Tuesday in a victory in Miami, now has seven 40-point games in his career. All have been away from home. “He’s just incredibly skilled,” coach Steve Kerr said. “It comes so natural to him.” … The Warriors came into the game leading the NBA in field-goal percentage (.491) and field-goal percentage defense (.408). … Magic C Nikola Vucevic had a league-leading 12 double-doubles coming into the game.
