SH Blog: Best & Worst Moments From 2.27.13 Featuring Stephen Curry’s 54-point Game At MSG

Normally any game you lead your team in assists (seven) and rebounds (six) is considered a successful night on the NBA hardwood. But when you add that to a scintillating 54-point performance on the NBA’s brightest stage, Madison Square Garden, it becomes a remarkable night. 

The Golden State Warriors may not have won the game, but Stephen Curry’s herculoidian effort – he played all 48 minutes — served as the ultimate silver lining in the Warriors 109-105 loss to the Knicks.

His shooting left the Knicks defense welting: 54 points on 18-of-28 shooting, 11-of-13 from 3-point range, 7-7 from the free throw line and a true-shooting percentage of 86.9.

“Once I started to see that three ball going down in transition and all sorts of spots over the floor, I knew it was going to be a good night,” Curry said after the game.

Ummm...check out @StephenCurry30's shot chart of just his 3's over his last 2 games. Unreal 18-of-23 (78.3%)! http://t.co/fSlad9I4Ap

February 27, 2013 11:44 pm via webReplyRetweetFavorite

@nbastats

NBA.com/Stats

Whether it was a step-back jumper, a fadeaway three or a pull-up in transition, Curry couldn’t miss. For the first time in his young NBA career, Curry reminded us of the baby-faced assassin that came one shot away from carrying Davidson to the Final Four in 2008.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmIQRjGhDfE]

To put Curry’s 54-point performance in perspective, here are some statistical nuggets from Basketball-Reference.com and ESPN Stats & Information.

Steph Curry scored 61.1 percent of his points last night on threes, the highest percentage ever in a 50-point game.

February 28, 2013 9:26 am via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@bball_ref

Basketball Reference

Steph Curry's eFG% last night was .839, third best in a 50-point game. Only eclipsed by Dana Barros (3/14/95) and Glen Rice (4/15/95).

February 28, 2013 9:37 am via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite

@bball_ref

Basketball Reference

Curry’s 54-point performance marks a new NBA single-game high for the 2012-13 season, moving past Kevin Durant’s 52-point outburst against the Mavericks.

His 11 made three-pointers set a Warriors fanchise record and tied Kobe Bryant for No. 2 (behind Donyell Marshall’s 12 3PTM) on the NBA’s all-time single-game list.

Steph’s 54 points in a losing effort was the fifth-highest total ever scored by a single player in a loss to the Knicks. – ESPN Stats & Information

Let’s not forget that it currently stands as the highest point total in the NBA this season — surpassing Kevin Durant’s 52 — and the third highest of any visiting player at Madison Square Garden in NBA history.

Oh, and LeBron James comes to town Sunday afternoon. Check out if Chris Sheridan thinks Curry’s 54 will hold up.

And now onto the best and worst of the night