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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 20: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors talks with Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics after their game at Chase Center on January 20, 2025 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and\/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
The Golden State Warriors<\/a> played their final game of the season on Friday night in Phoenix. Stephen Curry<\/a> finished with 17 points<\/a> on the night. The Suns<\/a> won 111-96, and just like that, the curtain came down on another Warriors season.<\/p>\n Curry dropped 35 points<\/a> and seven threes<\/a> on the Clippers<\/a> two nights earlier to keep Golden State\u2019s season alive. When healthy, he remains capable of taking over any game on the planet.<\/p>\n One player who has watched Curry up close and faced him on the biggest stage had plenty to say about what he witnessed.<\/p>\n Brown Makes Bold Curry Claim<\/p>\n Jaylen Brown<\/a> was on his Twitch stream watching highlights from the Warriors-Clippers play-in game when he made a declaration that cut straight to the point.<\/p>\n \u201cSteph Curry is one of the 5 greatest players to ever play this game. Y\u2019all can say whatever you want, fill in the rest. Steph Curry is top 5,\u201d Brown said<\/a>.<\/p>\n Coming from a player who has competed against Curry on the biggest stage, the confidence behind that statement carries a different kind of weight.<\/p>\n This is not the first time Brown has spoken about Curry with this level of conviction.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, he identified the exact tactical reason the Celtics<\/a> lost the 2022 Finals, pointing to Boston playing drop coverage on Curry as the primary factor. The respect has been building for years. Friday brought it to its clearest expression yet.<\/p>\n Jaylen Brown on Steph Curry:<\/p>\n \u201cSteph Curry is one of the 5 greatest players to ever play this game. Y\u2019all can say whatever you want, fill in the rest. Steph Curry is top 5.\u201d <\/p>\n What Makes the Claim Stand Up<\/p>\n Two MVPs. Four titles. The 2022 Finals performance that put every remaining argument to rest. Curry revolutionized how the game is played, stretching defenses beyond what anyone thought possible and forcing every team in the league to rethink how they guard the perimeter.<\/p>\n The Clippers play-in game was the most recent reminder. With his season on the line, Curry scored 27 points in the second half alone<\/a>. A stepback three with 50 seconds left broke the tie and ended Los Angeles\u2019s night. Garland could only offer a resigned summary afterward: that number 30 does what number 30 does.<\/p>\n At 38 years old, he is still doing it. That is what Brown is recognizing.<\/p>\n Why Brown\u2019s Voice Matters Here<\/p>\n Brown saw it first hand in 2022 when Curry took over Game 4 at TD Garden, refused to let Boston win, and closed the series out in the Garden two games later.<\/p>\n He spent years carrying that loss before winning his own championship in 2024 and earning Finals MVP. Brown knows what elite looks like because he has lived on both sides of it.<\/p>\n When someone with that r\u00e9sum\u00e9 puts Curry in his all-time top 5 without hesitation, the basketball world takes notice.<\/p>\n Final Word for the Warriors<\/p>\n Curry\u2019s 2025-26 season is over. The knee held him back when it mattered most, and Friday\u2019s elimination stings.<\/p>\n But two nights earlier at the Intuit Dome told a different story. Down 13 in the fourth quarter, season on the line, Curry took over. That version of him is still very much alive.<\/p>\n Brown recognized it watching the highlights. Top 5 all time. No hesitation. That kind of respect is not given. It is earned over a career\u2019s worth of moments that add up to something undeniable.<\/p>\n And Curry is not finished adding to it. He has made clear he has multiple years left in him. One elimination does not change that. The r\u00e9sum\u00e9 keeps growing.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tKeith Watkins<\/a> Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Celtics\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t