Walking into the Mall of Asia Arena on that humid Wednesday evening, I could already feel the electricity in the air. It was September 17th, 5:30 p.m., and the atmosphere was thick with anticipation for what promised to be a memorable NBA preseason showdown. As someone who's covered basketball for over a decade, I've learned to recognize when a game has that special quality—the kind that produces performances worth remembering long after the final buzzer. Tonight's contest between the Golden State Warriors and the Washington Wizards had all the makings of such an occasion, and I found myself particularly curious about which player would ultimately earn the coveted "Player of the Game" honors.

The first quarter unfolded with both teams feeling each other out, but it didn't take long for Stephen Curry to make his presence known. Now, I've watched Curry evolve from a promising rookie into arguably the greatest shooter in basketball history, and what continues to astonish me isn't just his shooting accuracy but the sheer audacity of his shot selection. By halftime, he had already racked up 28 points, including six three-pointers that seemed to defy physics. One particular sequence early in the second quarter stands out in my memory—Curry hit three consecutive threes from well beyond the arc, each shot deeper than the last, sending the Filipino crowd into absolute pandemonium. His movement without the ball remains a masterclass in basketball intelligence, constantly reading defenses and exploiting the smallest gaps. What often goes unnoticed in Curry's box score explosions is his impact on spacing—the way he stretches defenses creates opportunities for everyone else, even when he doesn't directly register an assist.

While Curry's shooting display captured most of the attention, Bradley Beal was quietly putting together an equally impressive performance for the Wizards. Having covered Beal since his Florida days, I've always admired his scoring versatility, and tonight he demonstrated why he remains one of the league's most complete offensive weapons. He finished the game with 34 points on an efficient 13-for-22 shooting, including 4-of-8 from deep, but what impressed me most was his playmaking. With 9 assists against only 2 turnovers, Beal repeatedly dissected the Warriors' defense with precise passes that belied his reputation as purely a scorer. His mid-range game, often overlooked in today's three-point obsessed league, was particularly effective—he hit 5 of his 7 attempts from that area, using screens beautifully to create just enough separation for his smooth jumper.

The third quarter brought Draymond Green's impact to the forefront, and I must confess I've always been somewhat biased toward players who influence games beyond scoring. Green finished with what casual fans might consider a modest stat line—8 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists—but his fingerprints were all over the game's crucial moments. His defensive communication and positioning disrupted numerous Wizards possessions, and his hockey assist to Curry's corner three late in the quarter was a thing of beauty. Having interviewed Green multiple times, I appreciate his basketball IQ in a way that doesn't always translate to traditional statistics. He called out several Washington plays before they developed, redirecting his teammates into better defensive positions. In many ways, Green serves as the Warriors' defensive quarterback, and his value becomes most apparent in tightly contested games like this one.

As the game entered its final minutes with the score tied at 105-105, the question of who would emerge as the definitive player of the game remained unanswered. Then came the sequence that, in my view, settled the debate. With 1:24 remaining, Curry used a Green screen to lose his defender, drew two help defenders, and delivered a perfect pocket pass to Kevon Looney for an uncontested dunk. On the ensuing possession, Curry intercepted a lazy pass from Beal and pushed the ball in transition, ultimately finding Andrew Wiggins for a corner three that put the Warriors ahead for good. These plays demonstrated something I've long believed about basketball—the most valuable performances often come in moments that don't necessarily show up in highlight reels but fundamentally shift the game's outcome.

Looking at the final statistics, Curry's 38 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds certainly make a compelling case for Player of the Game honors. Beal's 34 points and 9 assists were equally spectacular in their own right, while Green's triple-double cannot be dismissed. However, having watched the game unfold from press row, I'd argue that Curry's fourth-quarter leadership and clutch plays tipped the scales in his favor. The way he controlled the tempo during critical possessions, made the right reads against aggressive defensive schemes, and ultimately delivered when it mattered most—these intangible qualities complement his statistical dominance. In my years covering the NBA, I've learned that the true Player of the Game isn't always the one with the most impressive numbers, but the one whose impact most directly correlates with winning moments. Tonight, that player was Stephen Curry, whose performance reminded everyone in the Mall of Asia Arena why he remains one of basketball's most transcendent talents.