'Sublime' Curry breaks NBA record in playoff epic

With his big-game swagger on display for the world and that signature mouthpiece dangling from a celebratory grin, Stephen Curry drove fearlessly to the basket with jaw-dropping acrobatics all afternoon and he fired with precision from way back in a game seven extravaganza for the ages.

He even playfully pretended to push the button and light the beam, Sacramento-style.

Curry scored a playoff career-high 50 points in the most prolific game seven performance ever and answered time and again to will the Warriors on in their quest for a repeat, sending Golden State into the Western Conference semi-finals with a 120-100 win against the Sacramento Kings.

READ MORE: Manly's 'biggest issue' after ugly revelation

READ MORE: Rugby Australia rocked by CEO's sudden resignation

READ MORE: Question that must be answered after 'sickening' attack

Curry led a memorable comeback in the series, too, perhaps improbable even for the defending champions when they got down 2-0 and given their road woes all season.

“It's amazing ‘cuz you’re still in the fight,” Curry said.

“Better than the alternative of on the outside looking in. Having been down 0-2 in this series, nothing was guaranteed, you don't take anything for granted.”

Curry’s points are the most in NBA history in a game seven, topping former teammate Kevin Durant’s 48 for the Nets against Milwaukee in 2021.

“For Steph to be the first player ever to get 50 in a game seven, he’s sublime,” coach Steve Kerr said.

Kevon Looney grabbed 21 rebounds for a Warriors team that needed to win twice on the road facing a hostile, cowbell-clanging crowd in the state capital to become the first reigning champion to drop the first two games and win any post-season series.

Now, bring on LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference semi-finals with all that NBA finals history between James and Golden State dating to his Cleveland days.

Game one is Friday at Chase Center.

For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!

The NBA's top 20 all-time leading point scorers