Stephen Curry delivered another milestone performance Saturday night, scoring 41 points as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Orlando Magic 126-119 in overtime at Chase Center. He supplied 17 points in the final seven minutes, helping Golden State secure its seventh consecutive victory after opening the season with three losses.
The performance gave Curry 16 games with at least 40 points since his 35th birthday, moving him past LeBron James, who has 15, for the NBA record. Michael Jordan recorded 12. It was also Curry's second 40-point outing in the season's opening month and the 77th of his 18-year career, adding another achievement to his sustained scoring production.
Curry said maintaining that level despite injuries made him proud of the work he had invested, particularly when his scoring helped produce a victory. Warriors coach Steve Kerr described his longevity as "remarkable," crediting both his physical durability and the effort he puts into strength training, conditioning and fitness.
Orlando, which stood at 2-7, made Golden State work for the result. The Magic erased a 16-point deficit from the first half and moved six points ahead in the fourth quarter. Curry responded with 12 points over the final 2:21 of regulation, connecting on two long 3-pointers, a layup, two free throws and a difficult runner. That final basket, with 25 seconds remaining, gave the Warriors a two-point advantage.
Kerr singled out the runner for its difficulty, describing Curry's ability to bank the shot through traffic from roughly 12 feet away. Orlando still found an answer, with Jamal Cain scoring on a tip-in with two seconds left to send the game into overtime. Kerr then started the extra period with Curry on the bench as he managed the veteran's playing time and turned to Golden State's depth.
The reserves helped maintain the Warriors' momentum. Backup center Charles Bassey scored their first four overtime points, while rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, who finished with 23 points, made a 3-pointer from the wing to give Golden State a five-point lead. Curry returned to finish the game, adding two floaters and a free throw as his minutes reached a season high.
The victory also placed Golden State alongside a team from the NBA's early years. The Warriors became just the second team to follow an 0-3 start immediately with seven straight wins, matching a feat achieved by the 1950-51 Boston Celtics.
