Stephen Curry joins LeBron James, Michael Jordan in elite club after 49 points against Spurs

The Golden State Warriors beat the San Antonio Spurs by a narrow margin, 109-108, in Friday’s NBA Cup game at Frost Bank Center on the shoulders of Star guard Stephen Curry, who scored a season-high 49 pointsincluding free throws with 6.4 seconds left.

Curry’s feat was his 44th 40-point game since age 30, tying him with Michael Jordan for the most in NBA history at that age. Furthermore, the 37-year-old became one of only three players 37 or older, along with LeBron James and Jordan of the Los Angeles Lakers, to record back-to-back games with 40+ pointsfollowing his 46-point outing against San Antonio on Wednesday.

In 36 minutes on the court, Curry finished 16-of-26 from the field, 9-of-17 from three-point range and a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line. He added four rebounds, two assists and two steals, accounting for nearly 45 percent of Golden State’s points. The Warriors had to erase a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Spurs 24-13 in the final 6:42 to earn the victory. Curry scored 31 of his team’s 62 points in the second half, including a run of 14 straight points to close the third quarter and a 10-point blitz in the fourth.

San Antonio young phenom Victor Vembanyama impressed with 26 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks, including a crucial block with 33 seconds left. However, Spurs point guard De’Aaron Fox missed the last two attempts that could have decided the game. Golden State’s defense, led by Draymond Green, forced 21 turnovers and limited Vembanyama’s scoring.

Supporting Curry, Jimmy Butler III had 21 points and eight rebounds, while Will Richard and Brandin Podziemski each added 10 points. Gary Payton II added two timely 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, helping the Warriors bench contribute 12 second-half points after a slow start. Golden State’s rebounding presence was impressive, with 39 boards, including 15 on the offensive glass, which offset the Spurs’ size advantage.

The Warriors are now 8-6 on the season overall and 1-1 in the NBA Cup West Group C, holding the eighth spot in the Western Conference standings. They continue their road trip against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday.