Curry's Warm-Up Becomes Must-See Entertainment
OAKLAND (CBS SF) – They once flocked to the Oakland Coliseum to watch sluggers Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco rip awe-inspiring home runs during batting practices before the Oakland Athletics baseball games.
Now, it's Golden State Warriors sharpshooter Steph Curry's pre-game warmup routines at the Oracle Arena that has crowds building hours before game time just to watch the show and get a close-up glimpse of the star.
Curry goes through an array of long-distance shooting warmups and dribbling drills before each game and he generally ends them by attempting a shoot from the arena runway into the Warriors lockerroom.
"It's humbling to know it's the same workout I have been doing for 4 or 5 years," he said. "It's a treat for the people and a big help for me to get ready for the game."
The reigning NBA MVP says it's all about getting a rhythm on the court.
"It's the shots I need to take to get a rhythm, build my confidence," he said. "That kind of support (from the fans) is definitely appreciated."
Curry said despite the lateness of the season, his legs felt fresh and strong against Washington. So strong, he treated fans to a rare breakaway dunk during the game.
"I had fresh legs," Curry said of the dunk with a smile. "I guess I had a good night's sleep. I was feeling pretty good today."
Curry, who scored 51 points with a career-high and franchise record-tying 11 3s in the first meeting Feb. 3, shot 9 for 20 overall and 6 of 8 from long range. He added seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals.
Curry (356) and his running mate Klay Thompson (255) already had the most combined 3-pointers by a pair of teammates in a season. Reigning MVP Curry, the first player in NBA history with 300 3s in a season, has eight games left to chase 400. Thompson is aiming to top Curry's previous record of 286 3s.
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