Stephen Curry made his return, and you immediately felt the energy of a different Warriors team

All eyes were tuned into Thursday night’s TNT primetime matchup at Chase Center. Not because it was a rematch of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. Viewers were tuned in for one reason and one reason only: Stephen Curry, number 30, the two-time MVP and three-time NBA champion, was back in action. 

And what a return it was. Steph’s final stat line of the night: 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists, playing on a 27 minute-restriction. Light work for the greatest shooter the game has seen. 

The numbers are a nice touch, but most importantly, you didn’t just see Stephen Curry back in action for the Warriors, you felt it. 

Maybe it was by hearing the raucous crowd during his pre-game intro, or the cheers when he first handled the ball. Perhaps it was after his highlight-worthy behind-the-back assist to Andrew Wiggins. 

Or, very likely, it was when he knocked down his first shot from beyond the arc. “Curry for three, good!”

Whether he was rusty from the start or whether Golden State could upset the defending champion Raptors, neither were as important as the fact that Curry’s return made watching the Warriors, dare I say, exciting to watch for the first time in a long time this season. 

You witnessed Wiggins build some chemistry with Curry. You saw Steph connect with Marquese Chriss on a lob via pick-and-roll. You saw Damion Lee, Eric Paschall, and the rest of the team feed off his energy and maximize that even with Steph resting on the bench. 

You saw Chase Center as alive as it’s ever been.  

Still without Klay Thompson, and with Draymond Green and Kevon Looney sidelined with injuries, it didn’t matter. All it took was number 30 back on the court and this immediately felt like a different Warriors team. 

Players were cutting harder to the basket, they were on the receiving end (and many times had to adjust to) the flashy passes of Steph, and his constant movement and ability to keep the Raptors’ defense honest created opportunities that simply weren’t there before. Teammates were getting wide-open threes after defenses had to keep their eyes on the game’s greatest shooter. 

That is a great sight to see for Warriors fans. Now the next step is converting those opportunities. It’s an adjustment period, from both Curry and his teammates, but that is why these remaining 20 games or so are vital. 

To reap the benefits of this type of Warriors basketball, you need its engine back up and running.  

That’s why Steph’s return was important. That’s why he had to come back. And after Thursday night, he came back and looked like he never left. That’s great news for the Warriors and bad news for the rest of the league. 

Welcome back, Mr. Curry.