Throughout the 2019-20 season, Stephen Curry has missed 60 games for the Golden State Warriors. His absence from the lineup has had a dramatic impact on the Warriors’ chances of returning to the NBA playoffs for the eighth straight time.
With 17 games remaining on the calendar, the Warriors are the first team in the league to be eliminated from playoff contention. Despite the Warriors missing the playoffs in 2020, the past handful of years has provided a balanced wave of postseason highlights.
Although Curry’s return to action was shortened to only one game before the NBA season was put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic, the two-time Most Valuable Player’s comeback in the 2016 playoffs produced a legendary moment.
May 9, 2016
After spraining his knee against the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, Curry made his awaited return versus the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Semifinals game four.
After dropping game three behind Damian Lillard’s 40 points, the Warriors found themselves in another tight game in Portland. Without Curry in the starting lineup, the Warriors fell behind big to start the game, but a back and forth battle broke out after the first quarter.
Harrison Barnes drilled a 3-pointer with 52 seconds remaining to push the game into overtime. Prior to the start of OT, Curry recorded 23 points against the Blazers. Once the bell rang for the extra period, Curry exploded.
The six-time All-Star snapped an NBA record, scoring 17 points in overtime to blast past the Blazers, 132-125.
With just under two minutes remaining in overtime, Curry splashed a deep 3-pointer from the top of the key forcing the Blazers to call a timeout. As the teams were walking to the bench, Curry famously called out — “I’m here. I’m back.”
Curry’s 40 point performance on 16-of-32 shooting with nine rebounds and eight assists in 37 minutes will forever be known as the “I’m back” game.
Watch highlights from Curry’s return to the playoffs via YouTube:
The Warriors eliminated the Blazers in game five Oakland to move on to face Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals.
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