MIES (Switzerland) - Two generational stars. Two unforgettable performances. One big question: Who had the better night?
On one side, Stephen Curry dropped 52 points in a statement win for the Golden State Warriors over the Memphis Grizzlies, 134-125. He added 10 rebounds, 8 assists, and 5 steals, while torching the Grizzlies from deep - hitting 12 of his 20 three-point attempts.
It was his 27th career game with at least 10 threes (no one else is close - Klay Thompson is second with nine according to ESPN Research). He also became the first player in NBA history to post at least 50 points, 10 made threes, and five steals in a single game.
Curry passed Jerry West to move into 25th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list during the performance.
"I got a little emotional about that," Curry said. "It was special. In his memory. What he meant to our organization, the league, to the world of basketball. ... That’s the logo."
Steve Kerr was in awe.
"Fifty-two points with people draped all over him, all game long," he said. "You get a real sense of just the magnitude of his talent. The guy is amazing to watch."
Curry now also has the most 50-point games after 30 years old, so he's had a lot of amazing games.
"Hell, no. No chance," said Draymond Green when asked if this was Curry’s best game. "I’ve played with him for 15 years. I can’t quite recall the best one off the top of my head, but that ain’t it."
Then there’s Nikola Jokić, who turned in a mind-bending stat line of his own: 61 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a double-overtime thriller against Minnesota. Yes, the Nuggets lost - but Jokic set the NBA record for most points in a triple-double, and no one has scored more in a single game this season.
He logged 52 minutes and never sat after halftime.
"Nikola came up to me after the third quarter and said, 'Coach, I'm good. Leave me in there. I don't want to come out,'" said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. "The guy is Superman."
Jokic kept it simple: "Coach asked me a couple times (if I wanted to come out), but I was feeling good."
So, which one gets your vote?
Curry’s historic shooting and all-around dominance in a crucial win - or Jokic’s superhero triple-double that rewrote the record books in defeat?
You can’t go wrong either way. But in a league full of stars, it’s clear: these two still shine the brightest.
FIBA