Stephen Curry kept his receipts. When the Golden State Warriors fell to the Dallas Mavericks earlier this month, Dallas'
PJ Washington Jr. trolled the Warriors by using Curry's "night night" celebration as he went back to the locker room.
Washington did not play in the Mavericks' win, but he stole Curry's signature celebration after the final whistle.
Every time the Mavericks have faced the Warriors this season, Washington has used the "night night" during the Mavericks' victories,
spurring Curry's fiery comeback.
On Sunday, during the Warriors' rematch against the Mavericks, Curry and the Warriors were on fire. After Curry nailed
a three-pointer over Washington late in the third quarter, he pulled out his own "night night" celebration, putting his own twist on the moment.
Curry not only nailed the three-pointer but cited the game’s end right then and there on the scoreboard,
signaling "night" on Dallas with just one quarter to go.
Curry wound up getting the last laugh as the Warriors blanketed the Mavericks with their impressive season performance.
Curry scored 30 points, contributing five rebounds and seven assists, leading the Warriors to a 126-102 victory.
The game started with both teams hitting the court with small-ball setups. The Mavericks, hindered by injuries to
key players like Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and Dwight Powell, were forced to adapt.
They started Kyrie Irving, Dante Exum, P.J. Washington, Klay Thompson, and Kessler Edwards against the Warriors' lineup of
Stephen Curry, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green.
The Mavericks took an early advantage with back-to-back dunks from Edwards, putting the score at 9-4.
But after nine consecutive missed shots from Dallas, the Warriors responded with 16 unanswered points, quickly flipping the game’s momentum.
Curry was pivotal, scoring 10 early points, and the Warriors took control with a commanding 33-18 lead after the first quarter.
Despite some sparks from Dallas, including contributions from Klay Thompson and Irving, the Mavericks couldn't match Golden State's energy.
Although Naji Marshall managed to score for the Mavericks, the Warriors persisted with aggressive offensive plays.
Golden State maintained their lead throughout the second quarter, with leads occasionally ballooning to 23 points.
At halftime, the scoreboard reflected the Warriors leading 61-44, highlighting the gap caused mostly by Dallas' inefficiencies,
as they battled with 18 turnovers and were out-rebounded 58-47 against the smaller Warriors team.
Irving and Washington led the Mavericks with 17 points each, but their efforts fell short of making significant markings on the game.
The frustrated Mavericks eventually dulled, allowing the Warriors to seal their dominance.
The Warriors' momentum continued as Curry knocked down back-to-back three-pointers early in the third quarter.
This marked another stretch of dominance for the Warriors, exemplified when Curry hit the “night night” celebration, fueling the Warriors' already commanding lead.
Heading to the fourth quarter, Warriors controlled the court with ease, leading by 23 points. The outcome became evidently clear,
as the Mavericks began to pull their starters and allow the game to slip out of reach.
The fourth quarter saw no substantial comeback from the Mavericks, with Curry sitting out as the Warriors coasted to the finish,
registering yet another impressive win. The scoreboard reflected the final score of 126-102, securing the Warriors' fifth victory
out of their last six games.
For the Warriors, the game marked yet another sign of their continuity and strength coming out of the All-Star break,
especially highlighted by Jimmy Butler's addition, who scored 18 points during the game.
Post-game, the Warriors honored Andre Iguodala by retiring his jersey, commemorizing his substantial impact during his time with the team,
including being named NBA Finals MVP when the Warriors claimed championships.
For the Mavericks, this loss served as a stark reminder of their depth issues, as they look to rebound against tougher competition,
facing off against the Lakers next. The upcoming match promises to be pivotal, especially as both Kyrie and Thompson must drive the Mavericks
to recover from their disappointing performance against the Warriors.