If Stephen Curry was ever in a slump, it's definitely over now

An effective narrative can be a strong force in the NBA, but it can also change very quickly. Take Stephen Curry, who up until recently was said to be having an off-year. The Golden State Warriors superstar appeared to lack the irrational confidence and flair for the dramatic that had made him an unguardable sensation in his back-to-back MVP seasons, and it appeared that he was having a hard time adjusting to playing next to Kevin Durant. Then Curry turned things around substantially in January and scored 43 points on nine highlight-ready three-pointers in Saturday’s nationally televised blowout of the rival Los Angeles Clippers. Suddenly everything was fine.

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Anyone who still believed Curry was mired in a slump likely won’t after his performance on Wednesday night against the visiting Charlotte Hornets. Curry made six three-pointers in the first quarter alone on his way to 39 points on 11-of-15 shooting from beyond the arc. He missed just six shots all night, added eight assists and three steals, and didn’t have to play the fourth quarter as the Warriors coasted to a 126-111 win.

The game never felt as close as that result. Golden State opened up a 33-11 lead after just eight minutes and led by as many as 32 points before Charlotte chipped away at the final margin. The Warriors matched a franchise record with nine threes in the first quarter, shot 21-of-48 from deep on the night, and assisted on 35 of their 48 field goals. Draymond Green and fill-in starter JaVale McGee both blocked four shots apiece, and Hornets star Kemba Walker was held to only seven points on 1-of-5 shooting.

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But Curry most certainly led the charge. A night that started with his father Dell draining a 40-footer continued to go well for the family, with Steph showing off his pull-up prowess and generally making defenders look foolish. To top it off, his outside shooting percentage now looks a lot more familiar:

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It was also notable that Curry’s big night didn’t overwhelm the rest of the offense. While he certainly captured the bulk of everyone’s attention, Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson both starred in slightly less dominant fashion. KD chipped in 18 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in a terrific all-around performance, and Thompson put up 29 points (6-of-11 3FG) with a career-high eight assists.

The Warriors obviously aren’t going to have their season judged on a February 1 blowout of the Hornets, but this no-fuss dominance coupled and Curry’s resurgence are very good signs for the future. The more Curry looks like himself without disrupting anything, the more likely it is that the team is reaching its ceiling.

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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at efreeman_ysports@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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