In a historic Game 7, Stephen Curry led the Golden State Warriors to a 120-100 victory over the Sacramento Kings, becoming the first player in NBA history to score 50 points in a Game 7. Curry’s record-breaking performance included 20-for-38 from the field and 7-for-18 on 3-pointers, setting an NBA record for most career 3s in Game 7s with 27. Despite the Warriors’ poor regular season record on the road, they won Game 5 and Game 7 in Sacramento, eliminating the third-seeded Kings, who finished with their best record since 2004-05 and their first playoff appearance since 2006.
The defending champions will now face the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in the conference semifinals, beginning Tuesday in San Francisco. While Curry’s dominant performance proved too much for the Kings, who lacked playoff experience, Andrew Wiggins had 17 points, and Kevon Looney had 11 points and 21 rebounds for Golden State. Domantas Sabonis led the Kings with 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
Curry’s performance highlights the importance of star players in the playoffs, as the Warriors’ playoff hopes largely rest on his shoulders. Despite their inconsistent regular season performance, as long as Curry is on the court, the Warriors always have a chance of winning. However, the Lakers will present a new challenge for Golden State, and it remains to be seen if Curry’s incredible Game 7 performance can carry over to the next round.