Favorite sports moment: Curry cooks up a miracle

It was a cool Saturday night in February 2016 and a couple of friends were at my house for the evening to watch a much-anticipated matchup between the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder. My dad, a Chicago Bulls fan and jaded by the Jordan era, sat down with us to watch the final few minutes of the game. He seldom watched the Warriors and their rise to the peak of the basketball world.

As the two teams traded baskets, my dad let out a few yelps, surprised by the quick pace of the Warriors and the accuracy of their 3-point shooting.

Sitting on the edge of my seat, I leaned in closer to the TV. The game was tied with about 25 seconds left and a commercial break had just ended.

During the final few seconds, the Thunder missed a short jumper and Warriors pushed the ball up the court, electing not to call a timeout. Point Guard Steph Curry caught the ball near the half-court line, took a couple of dribbles and shot as the clock closed in on zero. We all jumped out of our seats.

“Curry … way downtown! Bang! BANG! Oh, what a shot from Curry!” shouted commentator Mike Breen. Even the announcing was legendary. My friends and I screamed and ran into the backyard to celebrate the 121-118 win. My dad looked at me and said, “Oh my god, unbelievable!”

The game was a perfect roller coaster ride of emotions. The highs and lows could not have been more perfectly arranged. Curry finished with 46 points, after leaving the game briefly with what looked like a pretty serious ankle injury only to return “on fire” to save the game. The Warriors were behind for most of the game and a pair of free throws at the end of regulation finally tied the game up.

Videos of the final sequence still give me chills today. Of the myriad of epic shots that Curry has sunk in his career, that one has a special place in my heart. Not only was it a perfectly-timed dagger to win a game against a bitter rival at the time, but it is also a great representation of that magical 73-9 regular season.

As a Warriors fan, I have had more than my fair share of exciting sports moments in recent years. But if I had to pick out a single moment from the past few seasons, it would have to be “The Shot” that Curry made which not only gave the Warriors the win over a bewildered Thunder team, but also brought my friends and family a unforgettable experience.