OAKLAND — It is always just a matter of time before Stephen Curry gets into a zone.
Yet the time, place and circumstance on Sunday night — with the Golden State Warriors engaged in another tooth-and-nail battle against the Cleveland Cavaliers — made this a necessity.
LeBron James was going off, as usual, carrying the Cavs on his back with a 40-point, 14-rebound, 11-assist triple-double, leaving the thousands packed inside Oracle Arena to seemingly hold their breath for much of the fourth quarter.
Curry, more than anyone, needed to answer King James.
Done.
The Warriors are headed back to Cleveland with a chance to claim the franchise's first NBA title in 40 years on Tuesday night, thanks to the sizzling heroics in crunch time from their MVP point guard.