“You talk about having kids, you know how bedtime routines are important. It’s the final signal for a job well done that day”. The origins of Stephen Curry’s iconic ‘Night-Night’ gesture were explained by him candidly back in May 2022. Since then, the player has brought out the gesture throughout several clutch moments, most notably during the USA-France Finals of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

From Warriors head coach Steve Kerr pulling out the gesture at the 2024 DNC to Golf Star Si Woo Kim mimicking it after sinking a birdie on the 16th hole, several other people have adopted the ‘Night-Night’ from time to time. As Draymond Green became the latest individual to do so, the NBA All-Time Three-Point Leader, as well as Steve Kerr, had some thoughts to share.

In the aftermath of the Warriors’ 114-106 win, reporters asked Stephen Curry about Draymond Green recreating the ‘Night-Night’. After all, Green made that clutch dunk, with 28.3 seconds remaining on the clock. Furthermore, he made it while Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert guarded him, the rivalry with whom does not need a reminder.

With a chuckle, Curry revealed being surprised because:

• A: His permission was not taken
• B: The ‘Night-Night’ was pulled out to celebrate a layup, not a three-pointer!

This caused Curry to say “I’m sure he’ll hit a dagger three at some point, but the ‘dagger dunk’, that’s new territory for the ‘Night-Night’, cuz you won’t see me doing that.”

Yikes!

Perhaps unaware of what the three-point shooter had said, Steve Kerr presented his own separate reaction to the move. During the post-game presser, the head coach smiled upon being asked for his views. Without thinking for too long, he replied, “He’s no Steph Curry, but it was a decent impersonation, and I appreciate the passion behind it”.

NBA fans may have gotten used to players delivering the ‘Night-Night’ after a successful three-point clutch shot. Other basketball players, like Sabrina Ionescu and Skylar Diggins-Smith, have also adopted the move over the years. However, they too brought it out when celebrating a shot made from far away.

A dunk is, without a doubt, unprecedented!

One of Stephen Curry’s teammates brings it to the spotlight even more when they do it. Therefore, both the shooter and the coach have laid down their expectations. If Draymond Green wants to pull out that move again, it has to follow a clutch three-pointer, or perhaps any three-pointer.

Despite the ‘expectation’ he set for Draymond Green, Stephen Curry still couldn’t fully dismiss that they deserved to pull out of the move. After all, even though the shot wasn’t a three-pointer, it added to an already memorable night for the Warriors.

Stephen Curry gave his flowers to Draymond Green over ‘Night-Night’ Dunk: “We needed that moment”

During the post-game presser, the reporters approached Curry again to know his reaction, even though he had answered earlier. This time, he responded uniquely, stating, “I didn’t… I saw at the very end of it. I didn’t know he did it all the way down the court. Let’s just say his is a little bit more aggressive than mine. And I like it, I like it. You make it your own”.

However, Stephen Curry may have transported himself back to the excitement when discussing the dunk that led to it. The cheers from the crowd at the Chase Center when it went in. Just incredible! Given how things have gone for his team over the last couple of days, such moments were needed tenfold.

“That was…. we needed that moment. I know he needed that moment,” said Curry about the dunk. “It was….. he played amazing all night. Typical Draymond type of game where you look at the stat. If you didn’t watch the game, you look at the stat sheet, you’d probably be like ‘Go Home’. But, if you watch the game, you’d understand his impact. And then to finish it off like that, me setting the screen, switching rolls, me setting the screen for him, getting up, dunking it, and getting the crowd going. He didn’t ask me about using the ‘Night-Night’ beforehand, so his night… his night to shine”.

It was only recently when the Warriors got out of a 5-game loss streak. Even with the recent win, the Warriors stand at a 14-9 win record. Therefore, in the end, it wouldn’t have mattered how the ‘Night-Night’ was pulled out. It mattered that it gave Draymond Green a moment to shine. It mattered that Warriors fans got another core memory to carry home, alongside the feeling of winning.