DNA of a Dynasty: Stephen Curry's First Step into Superstardom

From Stephen Curry’s game-winner in Oklahoma City to Kevin Durant and Draymond Green’s rift, there are unforgettable moments from the Golden State Warriors’ dynastic run that are permanently etched into NBA history. Inspired by The Last Dance experience, this series aims to explore some of the lesser-known or underappreciated stories that helped build or define their reign.

Stephen Curry forced his way into the national consciousness with his 54-point outburst in Madison Square Garden back in 2013. It was a masterful display of shooting that alerted the basketball world to the star potential in the 24-year-old point guard.

Curry’s brilliance in New York is generally considered to be the breakout performance that set the stage for the Hall of Fame career he would build during the 2010s.

Superstars, however, are born in the playoffs and it only took one playoff series -- and, quite possibly, just one quarter -- to understand that Curry would soon sit at the prestigious table of NBA icons who elevated themselves under the brightest lights.

If the 54-point game was Curry’s breakout onto the scene, his performance in Game 4 of the First Round of the 2013 Playoffs was a brilliant follow-up -- a clear indicator that he wasn’t just a regular-season sensation, but rather a game-breaking talent who could win championships.

Curry helped lead the 2012-13 Golden State Warriors to the postseason for the first time since the 2007 “We Believe” squad shocked the world, a feat that the underdog sixth-seeded Dubs would look to repeat against the deep George Karl-coached Denver Nuggets.

Despite losing David Lee, the Warriors’ lone All-Star, for the series (save for an emotional 1:27 in the decisive Game 6) in the first game of the series, Golden State managed to secure a 2-1 lead heading into Game 4, largely due to Curry’s production.

Through three games, he was averaging 26.0 points, 11.0 assists, and 5.0 rebounds with 2.3 steals while shooting 46 percent from the field and 44 percent from three-point range.

With three playoff games under his belt, Curry dominated Game 4 with a powerful combination of shooting ability, efficiency, and flair.

He scored 31 points on 10-16 shooting while knocking down six three-pointers, adding seven assists and four steals in just 33 minutes. His numbers, though impressive, don’t quite represent the full extent of his excellence.

Curry did most of his work in the third quarter, unleashing a barrage of buckets that showcased his entire arsenal, overwhelmed the Nuggets, and captivated basketball fans everywhere. He scored 22 points in the third quarter -- including a stretch with nine points in just 42 seconds -- devastating the Denver defense with effortless bombs from beyond-the-arc and creative finishes at the rim.

He provided the full Curry experience to basketball fans still becoming acquainted with the Bay Area’s best-kept secret, all at the expense of the Denver Nuggets.

Curry utilized his elite jump shot in a variety of ways, stretching the boundaries of what is considered a “good” attempt. He amazed with his now-signature lookaway three-pointer, turning to face the Denver bench before trotting back on defense as the ball soared through the air. He knocked down treys from well-behind the line, showing off his limitless range both in catch-and-shoot and stepback situations. Curry used his handle to shed a veteran Andre Miller and create space for a wide-open midrange shot, a look that would become an invaluable counter in the postseason for him.

But Curry didn’t only “settle” for jumpers, scoring at the rim with a pair of dazzling finishes, much to future-teammate JaVale McGee’s chagrin. McGee deflected a driving Curry’s pass, but the Warriors’ star corralled it and flipped up a nifty finger roll just out of the center’s outstretched arm. Later in the quarter, he floated a high-arcing layup, one that was released too quickly for McGee to do anything other than foul him.

The greatest players -- the ones who eventually hoist trophies at the end of the season -- are paradoxes, transforming into the most dangerous versions of themselves when they’re at their most predictable. The transcendent talents don’t pretend to disguise what their next move on the court is -- they let everyone in the building know and task the defense with trying to do something about it, a generally pretty fruitless endeavor.

Curry entered that zone with 1:21 left in the third quarter of that game, evolving into that type of player right before our eyes.

He stripped a driving Ty Lawson -- a player considered, at the time, to be in the same tier of point guards as Curry -- and scanned the baby blue road jerseys attempting to swarm him as he pushed the ball upcourt. Maneuvering across the court, he reached the top of the key and fired away with his lightning-quick release.

There was no doubt that Curry was going to shoot the ball as soon as he stole it.

As a spectator, I would have bet my life savings -- an unimpressive amount of money for a senior in high school -- that he was going to take a three when he found an opening. As I sat on my couch, intently focused on the magic that was unfolding on my TV,  I never asked myself “is he going to shoot this ball?”

I thought to myself: “how is he going to do it?”

Watching a skinny 6’3 point guard land blow after blow was phenomenal and his haymaker -- that three-pointer in transition that sent Oracle Arena into a frenzy -- turned everyone watching into believers.

The Warriors would go on to win the game and, ultimately, the series before falling to the eventual-champion San Antonio Spurs in six games. Still, Curry’s Game 4 explosion has become a defining moment during the Warriors’ journey towards the top of the NBA.

It was a sample of what he could do and how he could impose his will in the postseason with an unprecedented pairing of showmanship and skill. He left Denver scrambling -- the first of many playoff defenses that would break under the constant pressure of his marksmanship and energy.

As fans and peers marveled at Curry’s capabilities, there was one member of the Nuggets who was paying closer attention to the show than most: Andre Iguodala.

Curry unknowingly auditioned for Iguodala, who would join Golden State in free agency at the conclusion of the postseason. The swingman became an irreplaceable piece to the Warriors’ championship core, winning the 2015 Finals MVP and helping secure two more titles while solidifying a Hall of Fame career of his own. Curry’s play became his recruitment pitch, one that he would use again in the summer of 2016.

With three championships and countless iconic postseason moments, Curry’s performance in his fourth career playoff game often gets lost in the shuffle. Nonetheless, it would be a foundational moment for his and the Warriors’ respective legacies -- a sign that something special was happening in the Bay Area, something that would dramatically change the landscape of the NBA.