Warriors’ Stephen Curry breaks NBA profession 3-point report

Stephen Curry has shot his solution to the highest of the NBA report e-book for 3-pointers.

Curry hit his 2,974th 3-pointer Tuesday evening within the first quarter of the Golden State Warriors’ sport in opposition to the New York Knicks, breaking the report set by Ray Allen.

Curry hit the shot from the suitable wing with 7:33 remaining, waving his arms towards the sky as he jogged backward down court docket. The Warriors then dedicated a foul and shortly known as timeout to let the celebration start. 

Curry went and embraced his father, Dell Curry, who was seated alongside a baseline, whereas Bob McKillop, his coach at Davidson, stood within the stands and beamed alongside Larry Riley, who drafted Curry for the Warriors. Then got here a hug from Warriors teammate Draymond Inexperienced amongst others and, lastly, Curry trotted again throughout the court docket for a protracted embrace and some congratulatory phrases from Allen.

Curry is commonly thought of the league’s best shooter, and the numbers again him up. He already owns two of the highest three seasons for 3-pointers — together with the one season with 400 3s — and now has the profession report Allen had held since passing Reggie Miller in 2011.

The report got here at Madison Sq. Backyard, the place Curry had one in every of his early-career highlights on Feb. 27, 2013, when he made 11 3-pointers and scored 54 factors. He is gone on to win two MVP awards and three championships whereas turning into one of many greatest, hottest stars within the sport.

“I feel followers are interested in him simply due to his humility and his story and the way arduous he is needed to work, so from that standpoint it transcends sports activities considerably,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr mentioned earlier than the sport.

Curry had been removed from his greatest past the arc to begin this highway journey, going 3 for 14 in Philadelphia after which 5 for 15 in Indiana. However along with his potential to go from slumping to surging in a rush, Kerr predicted a breakout could be coming quickly.

It got here shortly Tuesday. Curry hit from straightaway on his first try, and followers across the enviornment stood as he was dribbling the ball throughout heart court docket on the subsequent possession. He launched an unsightly try that he missed.

The record-breaker got here on his subsequent shot and was classic Curry. He gave the ball up and finally raced again to the skin, getting the ball again and seemingly launching it in the identical movement earlier than a defender might get out to him. 

It is that fast shot — whether or not after catching it or on the dribble — and the flexibility to launch from to this point behind the arc that is made him a shooter not like any earlier than him. 

“He is the very best shooter I’ve ever seen, and I feel it is clear he’s the very best catch-and-shoot participant,” former Dallas famous person Dirk Nowitzki mentioned. “However the place he is so good is off the dribble, and I feel that is one thing that he added, the fast 3 off the dribble. It is one movement and his shot is gone.” 

None of Curry’s stardom was assured when he entered the league in 2009 because the No. 7 choose from Davidson, removed from one of many basketball powerhouses that normally produce the highest gamers.

However with maybe an unmatched mixture of dribbling and capturing accuracy, he led a long-distance revolution that has turned the 3-pointer from an afterthought in NBA offenses right into a weapon. He has led the league in 3-pointers six instances and is nicely on his solution to a seventh for a resurgent Warriors group that once more has the league’s greatest report. 

And Curry might put the report nicely out of attain at his present tempo: He entered the evening making 5.4 3-pointers per sport this season, better of his profession.

Curry, 33, is in his 789th sport, with maybe a number of extra seasons on the prime. On the similar level in his profession, Allen had 1,918 3s.