WATCH: Stephen Curry Returns With a Monster 40-Point Performance

The back-to-back MVP was just that in Game 4 Monday night.

Stephen Curry shook off a right knee sprain to pour in 40 points, including a League-record 17 in overtime, as he led the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors to a dramatic 132-125 win over the shell-shocked Portland Trail Blazers.

The series now shifts back to Oakland for Game 5 Wednesday night, where the Blazers will attempt to stave off elimination.

Per the AP:

“I love this game, I love playing and love competing. And really, really missed being out there with my teammates,” Curry said. “To help our team get a win tonight and in that fashion, that was a good feeling in that moment to be back on the floor and playing.”

 

Playing for the first time since he was injured in Game 4 of the first-round series against Houston, Curry was rusty for three quarters and sensational down the stretch after the Warriors trailed by as much as 16 points. […] Originally expected to play about 25 minutes off the bench, Curry picked up a heavier workload in the second half after Shaun Livingston, who had been starting in his absence, was ejected in the second quarter after arguing a call and picking up two technical fouls.

 

Damian Lillard finished with 36 points and 10 assists for Portland.