Stephen Curry 2018 NBA Finals Golden State Warriors Game Worn Sneakers | Game 1 & Game 3

After winning two championships in three years from 2015-2017, Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors entered the 2018 NBA Finals looking to establish a dynasty. Facing LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals for the fourth consecutive year, the stakes could not have been higher. The Warriors finished the regular season with a 58-24 record, which gave them home court advantage over the 50-32 Cavaliers. As a result, Game 1 would be played at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California with the winner securing considerable momentum heading into the rest of the series.

Sotheby’s is proud to present these sneakers worn by Curry in Game 1 (full game) and Game 3 (first half) of the 2018 NBA Finals, played on May 31, 2018 and June 6, 2018.

The sneakers have been photomatched by The MeiGray Group and Resolution Photomatching and are accompanied by photomatch letters and graphics.

Game 1 was an instant classic and became a highly memorable game in NBA Finals history. Despite a 51-point effort from James, Curry and the Warriors capitalized on an infamous blunder from Cleveland guard J.R. Smith at the end of regulation to defeat the Cavaliers 124-114 in overtime. With the score tied a 107-107 and 4.7 seconds left, Cavaliers guard George Hill missed his second of two free throws. However, the live ball ended up in the hands of Smith who had a golden opportunity to make a game-winning play. But Smith was apparently unaware that the score was tied and dribbled the ball away from the basket as time expired. 

The Warriors outscored the Cavaliers 17-7 in overtime to take control of the series. Curry scored a team-high 29 points and added 9 assists and 6 rebounds in the thrilling victory. 

Riding the momentum from the exciting Game 1 triumph, Curry and the Warriors cruised to another victory in Game 2, setting up a pivotal Game 3 showdown back in Cleveland. Despite trailing by 6 points at halftime, the Warriors showcased their championship pedigree in the second half en route to a 110-102 victory and an insurmountable 3-0 series lead. Curry finished the game with 11 points, 6 assists, and 5 rebounds. 

The Warriors completed the sweep in Game 4 to claim the franchise's third championship in four years.

Going Deeper | Stephen Curry

The son of former NBA three-point marksman Dell Curry, Steph received zero scholarship offers from major Division 1 schools. He chose to attend Davidson College, a mid-major school in the Atlantic 10, where he starred for three seasons from 2006-2009. Curry first gained widespread recognition as a certified sharpshooter at the 2008 NCAA Tournament. He led Davidson, a 10-seed, to multiple upset victories over Gonzaga, Georgetown, and Wisconsin for the school’s first Elite Eight appearance since 1969. Curry scored at least 30 points in all three wins before adding 25 points in a 59-57 loss to eventual National Champion Kansas. For his tournament heroics, Curry was named Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest Region and captured the attention of fans, players, and NBA teams.   

During his junior season, his last as a Davidson Wildcat, Curry led the country by scoring 28.6 points per game. Though Davidson missed the NCAA Tournament, Curry was named a consensus First Team All-American and declared for the NBA Draft. 

Selected by the Golden State Warriors as the 7th overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft, Curry quickly emerged as an elite scoring and playmaking threat as a point guard. He averaged 17.5 points, 5.9 assists, and 4.5 rebounds and finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting. Although Curry’s skillset and potential shined bright, the Warriors failed to make the playoffs in his first three seasons. This all changed after the Warriors drafted shooting guard Klay Thompson in 2011. Soon thereafter, Curry and Thompson emerged as the most dangerous shooting backcourt in the game, and were dubbed the ‘Splash Brothers’.

After two consecutive playoff appearances in 2012-13 and 2013-14, Curry and the Warriors finally broke through in the 2014-15 playoffs. The Warriors’ balanced offensive attack of Curry, Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala enabled them to defeat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers for the franchise’s first championship since the 1974-75 season. In addition, Curry was voted league MVP. As it turned out, the ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’ was just getting started.

At the beginning of the 2015-16 season, the Warriors appeared to be unstoppable, racing to a 24-0 record out of the gate. With Curry having developed into the league’s most electric scorer and a three-point magician, the team averaged a league-best 114.9 points per game. By the regular season’s end, the Warriors finished with a record of 73-9, eclipsing the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls as the best record in NBA history. Curry averaged 30.1 points per game and won his first NBA scoring title. Additionally, he was named league MVP for the second consecutive season and also became the first unanimous winner in the history of the award. 

Curry helped the Warriors win three more championships in 2017, 2018, and 2022. His career accomplishments include eight All-NBA selections, two MVPs, one Finals MVP, and two scoring titles. In 2021, Curry passed Ray Allen to become the all-time leader in three-pointers in NBA history. He is widely considered perhaps the greatest shooter and one of the best players of all time.