Saquon Barkley channels Steph Curry in “Night Night” celebration

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!

Earlier today while I was settled in on the couch preparing for the week and watching the NFC Championship game, I thought about what a bittersweet relief it was that the Golden State Warriors didn’t have a Sunday game.

Their contests have been so wildly inconsistent this year, that I never know if they’re going to romp in thrilling fashion or drop a heartbreaking loss in the final quarter. Either way, it’s great for television viewing and terrible for my blood pressure. As I was basking in the chill of a non-Warriors day, leave it Saquon Barkley of the Philadephia Eagles to punt the Washington Commanders out of the playoffs with a touchdown and a homage to Stephen Curry’s “Night Night” celebration.

Wow! Everywhere I look, people wanna embody that Dub Nation spirit huh? The Night Night celebration has become the signature mic drop in Curry’s highlight-filled career, a celebration that toes the line between playful and outright antagonizing.

When Curry hits a dagger three, effectively sealing the game, and casually lays his head on his hands, signaling bedtime for his opponents, it’s a reminder that he’s not just playing the game. He’s the puppet master dictating its storyline. For fans of the Golden State Warriors, it’s a beautiful exclamation point to Curry’s brilliance. For opponents and their fans, it’s an infuriating salt-in-the-wound moment that feels as disrespectful as it is unshakably cool.

What makes “Night Night” so antagonizing is its simplicity. He calmly (almost serenely) gestures that the game is over and it’s time for players, fans, and broadcasters to all go to bed. The lack of overt hostility is precisely what makes it sting. It’s like getting dunked on, but instead of a roar of triumph, the dunker just gives you a polite smirk on their way back down the court.

The timing of the celebration only adds to its villainous aura. Curry doesn’t whip it out in meaningless moments. It’s reserved for clutch shots, the type that breaks hearts and sends arena crowds into stunned silence. It’s calculated and perfectly delivered, like a final monologue in a Shakespearean tragedy. His most iconic “Night Night” moment might be the Game 6 dagger in the 2022 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics—a 30-foot shot that ended any hope of a Celtics comeback and cemented Curry’s legacy as a closer.

But let’s not pretend Curry’s “Night Night” doesn’t add fuel to the fire for his detractors. Warriors fans love it because it embodies everything they adore about their beloved star: confidence, swagger, and the ability to back it up. For opposing fans, though, it feels like the ultimate taunt, especially when Curry is hitting those demoralizing shots in their team’s arena. It’s the basketball equivalent of showing up at someone’s house, taking their remote, and changing the channel before walking out.

That’s the genius of Curry’s “Night Night.” It’s a playful gesture that embodies his joy for the game, but its antagonistic power is undeniable. It’s fun, it’s bold, and for those on the receiving end, it’s maddeningly effective. Just ask Saquon!