Stephen Curry is, without a doubt, the greatest shooter in NBA history. His 2015-16 season was one for the ages, averaging 30.1 points and shooting a ridiculous 45.4% from three on 11.2 attempts a game. He set an NBA record for three pointers made that season at 402 as the Warriors also set the NBA record for wins that season with 73.
But for just one night that season, there was a better shooter than Stephen Curry: Sacramento’s own Omri Casspi.
Casspi was in his second stint with Sacramento and while he had never been a bad shooter, he had also never been a spectacular one. That 2015-16 season ended up being the best shooting season of his career as he made 40.9% of his threes on 4 attempts a game. But that night in Oakland was special.
Casspi would go on to score a career-high 36 points, and dropped 9-12 from three point range. The only other players in Kings history who have made that many threes in a game are Buddy Hield and Mike Bibby.
One stretch in particular stood out however; With just over 3 minutes to go in the first half, Curry scored his first points of the game on a pull-up three pointer. On the other end, Casspi, who had already hit three long bombs in the first half, responded by shooting a 30 footer and draining it.
The final three minutes of that game were essentially a duel between Curry and Casspi as both players could not miss. Curry would hit five three pointers and Casspi would hit 4 as they combined for 29 of the first half’s final 31 points, all in a three minute span. Curry would score, and Casspi would come right back. The Kings bench and the Oakland crowd got progressively more and more amped with each make.
I still haven’t forgiven Darren Collison for not giving the ball to Omri for that final possession, even if he scored. The Warriors, of course, would end up with the W in convincing fashion, but for at least one game, Omri Casspi hung in there with the best shooter in the world.
He eventually received a championship ring for his contributions on the Warriors, but we all know Omri rules in Sacramento.
Omri will go down as one of my all-time favorite Kings players. Loved his attitude and hustle play on the court. I remember when there were reports in 2014 that the Kings were going to sign him to a one year deal at the expense of cutting Quincy Acy, most of us viewed it negatively, but I’m glad he proved himself as a great player to have off your bench and quickly became a fan favorite again. One of my favorite things on Twitter was that a bunch of Kings fans tweeted at him saying they would love to go to a Kings game but couldn’t afford it, and he went and bought tickets for them. The thing to keep in mind too is that at this time his contract was a bargain so the fact that he did this even while not earning a ton of money said alot. And the fact that when he re-signed with the Kings in the summer of 2015 he actually took a paycut to stay because he wanted to be with the Kings:
I’m sad he had to get dealt eventually (with Cousins) but I’m glad he got his ring with the Warriors.
I didn’t know his middle name was Moishe.
DeMarcus Moishe Cousins?
I have to say that I love that clip, wonderful interaction between teammates.
Seriously. New favorite Kings gif.
I can’t remember why, but I missed watching that game for some reason, and so had to take it all in watching highlights. Magical moments like this are definitely best seen as they happen, though. There’s that sense of, “Are you kidding me? Can this possibly continue?” Gotta enjoy them when you can, because they are rare.
The highlights likely didn’t show that Cousins, instead of testing whether Omri could continue his barrage to open the second half, tried (and failed) to take over the game himself. Omri didn’t get his first shot till about five minutes into the quarter after Cousins picked up two techs arguing a foul call.
If he had gotten two technicals, how was he still on the bench cheering during Casspi’s streak?
Because that happened in the second half and Omri’s hot shooting was in the first half.
After the ejection, the dubs went on a big run that put the game away. Would’ve been nicer if the Kings got a W from Omri’s super-shooting night.
Story and video of the fiasco
https://www.businessinsider.com/demarcus-cousins-ejection-versus-warriors-2015-12
Wasn’t this the same game where Klay went thermonuclear in the third quarter?
I don’t think so. Wasn’t that game in Sacramento?
Okay, I’m kinda freaked out and seem to be experiencing a Mandela Effect moment here.
I vividly remember the Omri/Curry shootout happening in the first half of a game in Oakland and the game being close, people excited that Omri might carry us that night. Then we come out of halftime and Klay had his historic third quarter and completely overshadowed everything Omri had done. I was 100% positive this is what happened, I remember watching this game, and I just checked BBall Reference and . . . Omri had 1 FGM the night of Klay’s historic quarter.
Yes it’s crazy how the brain can play tricks on us. Mine was the “A&W Rootbeer Dumass” commercial, I honestly remembered it as a Southwest Airlines “Wanna Get Away” commercial. Yikes.
It just throws me off because I could swear the comments section at the old site was all up in arms over how Cousins’ ejection ruined Omri’s night and the disbelief at what Klay had done.
I was at this game with my brother and couldn’t believe what I was watching. It was so surreal. Felt like an intense pickup game the way they were going after each other.
Only game I ever went to at Oracle. Now, for the rest of time, I can tell Warriors fans the greatest shooter to ever play in Oracle was Omri freakin’ Casspi.
And 1: Very fond, drunk memories of obnoxiously yelling at Warriors fans as Casspi kept making it rain
Its hard to separate Peaches the douchebag person from Peaches the announcer. But watching these highlights always reminds me he was a pretty damn good play by play announcer. Miles better than the current set up to my tastes. True of both, but speaking more to the Draper led games than the Mark Jones ones.
Mileage will vary obviously.
I didn’t have time to listen to Peaches Radio, but yes Peaches TV was very good IMO.
Remember when Omri bated Grant with the question “ Do Israeli lives matter”?
why lie?
You are a nasty person.
Truly great Broadcast team and sadly never to return !
I do like Mark Jones better than Grant, but I have not like any of the partners I have heard him with as much as Jerry.
Great memories. I was watching this game at home with a mix of Kings/Warrior’s fans and no one even cared about the score, with every made shot our smiles got bigger and bigger. We were just looking at each like big grinning idiots with each made 3. It was just fantastic basketball being played by one of the best ever and one of our favorite Kings players ever.
OT: Crazy to actually see pictures of the old barn coming down.
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I saw this game on TV and I was fist pumping so hard. Just an epic epic shootout.
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