Stephen Curry Held Scoreless in First Half for First Time Since 2019 NBA Playoffs

Posted by Matt February 28, 2024 4 Min Read

Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry Held Scoreless in First Half for First Time Since 2019 NBA Playoffs

USA Today Network

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry was held scoreless in the first half for the first time since the 2019 Western Conference semifinals, during Tuesday night’s 123-112 win over the Washington Wizards.

This was his 10th game being shut out in the first half since 2010 and 16th overall of his career. It should be noted that Curry went on to score 33 points in the second half of that 2019 playoff win against the Houston Rockets.

Curry’s other scoreless first halves all came during his first four seasons. Plus, the 10-time All-Star was held scoreless in the first half for the first time in the regular season since Nov. 23, 2012, against the Denver Nuggets.

According to a few NBA betting sites, Curry is the odds-on favorite to win NBA Clutch Player of the Year. Sportsbooks are still showing great odds for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Damian Lillard.

Curry missed his first seven shots on Tuesday, six of which were from 3-point range. Three of his 3-point attempts were airballs, including a 32-foot heave at the halftime buzzer.

The two-time MVP made his first basket with a 3-pointer 53 seconds into the third quarter. Golden State outscored the Wizards 38-17 in the period. The Dubs led by as many as 23 points in the second half.

Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry finished with 18 points, four 3-pointers vs. Washington Wizards

Furthermore, Curry finished with 18 points, five rebounds, and six assists in 29 minutes of action. The 15-year veteran also shot 6-of-21 (28.6%) from the floor and 4-of-16 (25%) from downtown.

The rest of the Warriors went 17-for-30 (56.7%) shooting from beyond the arc.

“You know he’s going to make shots at some point,” Wizards interim coach Brian Keefe said. “You know that’s going to happen. … He was 0-of-6 on 3-pointers in the first. That’s not something you’re going to count on that’s going to sustain.”

Additionally, Stephen Curry scored a season-low seven points in Golden State’s 118-114 win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Dec. 17. He finished just 2-of-12 (16.7%) shooting from the field and missed all eight 3-point attempts.

The Warriors (30-27) have won 11 of their past 14 games and now rank ninth in the Western Conference standings. The Los Angeles Lakers (31-28) dropped to the 10th spot.

NBA sportsbooks show the Warriors with 11th-best odds to win the championship. Oddsmakers are giving better odds to the Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, and Minnesota Timberwolves.