Field Level Media
23 Jan 2022, 08:10 GMT+10
Stephen Curry will be riding the moment of one of his career highlights Sunday night when the Golden State Warriors host the Utah Jazz in a battle of Western Conference heavyweights.
The game tips off a rugged stretch for both teams as they attempt to turn things around after a rough patch of late.
Curry connected on his first career walk-off game-winner Friday night for a 105-103 home win over the Houston Rockets. The game-winner was the eighth of his career, but first with the clock having expired before the shot cleared the net.
"It's just how the game goes," Curry said. "I've hit some shots with 0.1, 0.4, one second, whatever it is. Big shots. But it's a different feeling when it's a walk-off. It's good to know what that feels like finally."
The shot came at the end of a game in which Curry shot just 6-for-21. He has made just 36.3 percent of his shots in his last nine games, including just 28 of 92 3-pointers (30.4 percent).
It's been contagious.
The Warriors, once rated as the top offensive team in the league in terms of efficiency, have ranked just 26th in the league in scoring (104.2), 27th in field goal percentage (43.0) and dead-last in 3-point field goal percentage (30.1) over their last 10 games.
They've gone just 4-6 over that span after a 29-7 start, and now face a week in which they must deal with a tough four-game sequence book-ended by Utah and the Brooklyn Nets.
Draymond Green, an offensive catalyst with a team-high 7.4 assists per game, has missed the last seven with a disk issue in his back. He already has been ruled out through Feb. 1.
The Jazz have won just twice in their last eight games, but with different issues than the Warriors. They have allowed the 12th-most points (113.0), the seventh-highest field goal percentage (47.2) and the third-highest 3-point field goal percentage (38.4) during the skid.
Injuries also have played a role in Utah's recent regression.
Leading scorer Donovan Mitchell has sat out the last two games with a concussion, leading rebounder Rudy Gobert missed five straight recently with a sore left ankle, and second-leading rebounder Hassan Whiteside has been sidelined the last five games in COVID protocol.
Like the Warriors, Utah is coming off a win Friday night. The Jazz ended a two-game losing streak -- one that included a home loss to the Rockets -- with a 111-101 win over the Detroit Pistons.
Gobert quickly identified the difference: Energy level.
"We competed," he said. "One through five, everyone who came in the game, from the starters to the bench, everyone was playing with intensity. I thought we raised our level throughout the game."
The Jazz hope to have Mitchell back as early as Sunday as they prepare to duel the Warriors, the Phoenix Suns twice and the Memphis Grizzlies in the next six days.
The Warriors and Jazz met one time previously this season, with Golden State overcoming a 41-point Utah explosion in the third quarter to pull out a 123-116 road win.
Curry connected on six of his 12 3-point shots on a night when the Warriors shot 53.5 percent overall and 53.1 percent (17-for-32) from beyond the arc.
Gobert had 20 points and 19 rebounds in the loss.
--Field Level MediaGet a daily dose of Utah Independent news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Utah Independent.
More InformationWASHINGTON, D.C.: Elon Musk's entry into the political arena is drawing pushback from top U.S. officials and investors, as his decision...
CULVER CITY, California: TikTok is preparing to roll out a separate version of its app for U.S. users, as efforts to secure a sale...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump claimed he was unaware that the term shylock is regarded as antisemitic when he used it in...
PARIS, France: A strike by French air traffic controllers demanding improved working conditions caused significant disruptions during...
OMAHA, Nebraska: With Congress considering cuts totaling around US$1 trillion to Medicaid over the next decade, concerns are rising...
ROME, Italy: Quick thinking by emergency responders helped prevent greater devastation after a gas station explosion in southeastern...
PARIS, France: French military and intelligence officials have accused China of orchestrating a covert campaign to damage the reputation...
NEW DELHI, India: Birkenstock is stepping up its efforts to protect its iconic sandals in India, as local legal representatives conducted...
HONG KONG: China has fired back at the European Union in an escalating trade dispute by imposing new restrictions on medical device...
NEW YORK, New York - Monday's trading session saw mixed performances across U.S. and global markets, with several major indices posting...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. government has granted GE Aerospace permission to resume jet engine shipments to China's COMAC, a person...
DUBAI, U.A.E.: Saudi Aramco is exploring asset sales as part of a broader push to unlock capital, with gas-fired power plants among...