ORACLE ARENA AND WARRIORS PRACTICE FACILITY, OAKLAND, CA — No, it wasn’t a step-back, double-crossover, behind-the-back pull-up over a seven-footer from 35 feet this time. This time, it was a pass.
With 7:47 to go in the third quarter of the Golden State Warriors‘ latest romp over the Los Angeles Clippers, Stephen Curry pick-pocketed J.J. Redick and, in mid-dribble and in stride, whipped a left-handed sling pass to a streaking Draymond Green, who slammed home the fast break.
The pass was at a near-impossible angle in that Curry had to thread the needle between four Clippers:
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“I got it past the first guy, I think that was Jeff Green,” said Curry. “Right as Draymond was about to catch it, whoever was next to him, saw it as well. Draymond reached out and grabbed it and finished.”
On the broadcast, ESPN’s announcers exclaimed, “Oh! What a look by Curry!”
Andrew Bogut, trailing the play behind Curry, was so impressed, he gave the Warriors point guard a brotherly tap on the back of Curry’s head.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITW0t2JbZug&w=560&h=315]Want to “Be Like Steph”? Not an easy maneuver pull off, the instantaneous change from dribble to pass, keeping your head up to see the target, the arm strength and accuracy.
There’s certainly a mixture of spur-of-the-moment creativity and skills repetition involved.
“I can dribble full speed and transition from that last bounce to the pass, without the other hand touching the ball, that’s the repetition part of it,” Curry told LetsGoWarriors at the Warriors practice facility two days later.
“All my ball-handling stuff I do, there’s components of it that lead into passing and shooting because you need to be able to feel the transition from a hard bounce and a hard push to whatever you’re going to do after that,” Curry said. “Left hand, right hand, you want to have them both equally as strong to make that play. Ball-handling drills that lead into passing drills, so you can get a feel for where the ball’s going to be in making that play.”
Of course, it takes some gumption to even attempt a pass like that.
“Most of that is confidence,” Curry said. “I’m sure I would’ve heard from Coach Kerr had I not executed very well.”
For the record, Curry told reporters during postgame locker room interviews that the play probably wasn’t his best left-handed delivery. Coming soon to a YouTube near you: the “Curry lefty sling pass” highlight mix.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag-RW1gwaU0&w=560&h=315](Photo: @letsgowarriors Instagram account via @poormanscommish/NBA/ESPN)
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