SAN FRANCISCO — Steph and Seth Curry couldn’t believe their dream of playing together on an NBA floor finally came true Sunday night. After a season defined by injuries for both veteran guards, the Curry brothers made their long-awaited debut in the second quarter of the Golden State Warriors’ 117-116 loss to the Houston Rockets, playing together for a minute that was years in the making.
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“That was special,” Steph said. “We’ve both had a very difficult year. Honestly, him more than me with injuries. I was joking, calling us the Rehab Brothers, because it’s been like that all year.
“But to have that moment coming out of a timeout and talking about our matchups, I was having flashbacks to Charlotte Christian High School. My senior year, his sophomore year is the last time (we played) in an actual game. I know he was on our training camp roster in 2013, but the last time we actually played a game together.”
There have been 40 brother combinations in NBA history who have played on the same team at the same time, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Currys were the first to do it for the Warriors.
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Steph, who was back in the lineup after not playing since Jan. 30 because of runner’s knee, scored 29 points in 26 minutes. Seth scored six in 13 minutes, playing in just his seventh game of the season.
“It’s a dream come true,” Seth said. “We’ve played against each other for a while now. For us to be on the same floor together as teammates was a different dynamic, and I’m sure everybody was watching on the East Coast — (our mother) was over there sneaking pictures when we were both in the hall trying to get loose. She was really excited.”
Steph, 38, said that he also appreciated just how much the pair’s mom, Sonya Curry, enjoyed the moment.
“My mom was in the stands,” Steph said. “She probably doesn’t have any more memory in her phone from taking all the pictures and videos. So that was a dream come true to be honest.”
Steph said the moment the brothers shared really hit home after the game, when Seth asked for Steph’s jersey to commemorate the occasion.
“It hadn’t really sunk in yet,” Steph said. “Except when I came out the locker room just now, Seth is very serious about taking this jersey I have on me. So I know he’ll take good care of it for sure.”
Seth, 35, said he planned to frame his and Steph’s jerseys from Sunday night.
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“I got my hands on that right away,” Seth said of his brother’s jersey. “In one frame I’m gonna have that forever, so I thought about that before. I went in there and asked E (Warriors vice president of team operations Eric Housen) this morning. I said, ‘As soon as the game’s over, I’m getting my hands on both of those.’”
Both Curry brothers have mused about what it means to follow in the footsteps of their father, Dell Curry, who played 16 years in the NBA and has enjoyed watching his sons carve out their careers.
“Basketball’s been a part of our whole lives, and it’s what we love to do,” Steph said. “And the fact that at this stage of both of our careers, that we’ve had this opportunity, even though this is what, Game 77? It’s the first time actually playing together. You definitely take a moment to reflect for sure. And when it is all said and done down the road, I’m sure we’ll put the pictures up from tonight and talk about it.”