In a surprising twist during Saturday night’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry delivered a rare and memorable dunk. The moment was so remarkable that it almost overshadowed the game itself, reminding fans of how seldom Curry uses his athleticism in this way.
Stephen Curry’s Dunk: a moment of magic
It had been six years since Curry last dunked in an NBA game — an event so infrequent that it was almost as rare as a celestial phenomenon like Halley’s Comet. The Warriors were trailing the 76ers, 109-102, midway through the fourth quarter when the spectacular moment occurred.
The play started when Tyrese Maxey missed a 3-pointer, with the rebound tipped to Guerschon Yabusele. Buddy Hield quickly stole the ball and launched a pass down the court to Curry, who was already sprinting towards the basket. Curry took a single dribble, rose up, and threw down a powerful right-handed dunk, much to the surprise of the crowd and even Warriors broadcaster Bob Fitzgerald, who remarked, "Take a picture!" He was well aware of how rare this play was in Curry’s career.
A long-awaited Dunk for Stephen Curry
Curry himself recalled his last dunk, which occurred on February 21, 2019, against the Sacramento Kings. On that occasion, Curry received a pass from Kevin Durant after running off a screen from DeMarcus Cousins and slammed home a two-handed dunk.
After Saturday’s game, Curry admitted that his decision to dunk stemmed from how good he felt physically, especially after struggling with knee pain throughout the season. However, he joked that this might be the last time fans see him dunk. “That will probably be my last dunk, though. I’m calling it right now; that’s the last one you will see,” he said with a smile, via The Athletic's Anthony Slater. He also mentioned an interesting tidbit about the play’s origins.
“Ironically, this morning at shootaround, [assistant coach Jerry] Stackhouse said he wanted to see a dunk,” Curry added. “He hadn’t said that all year and I haven’t heard that in years, and it happened tonight. Kinda funny.” When asked again if that dunk would be his last, Curry confidently answered, “For sure.”
Golden State Warriors’ loss to the Philadelphia 76ers
Despite Curry’s highlight-reel moment, the Warriors suffered a 126-119 loss to the 76ers. Philadelphia's Quentin Grimes had an explosive performance, scoring 44 points on 18-of-24 shooting, including 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 20 points, while Yabusele and Paul George contributed 18 and 17 points, respectively. The victory snapped the 76ers’ nine-game losing streak.
Golden State, missing Jimmy Butler due to back spasms, was led by Curry’s 29 points and 13 assists. Quinten Post also made a strong contribution with 16 points and 9 rebounds. The loss ended the Warriors’ five-game winning streak and dropped them to the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, just behind the Los Angeles Clippers.
Next games for both teams
The Warriors will continue their five-game road trip with a matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday, while the 76ers will return home to host the Portland Trail Blazers.