On Tuesday night, Stephen Curry looked poised to rewrite the NBA history books yet again. During the Golden State Warriors’ 134-125 win over the Memphis Grizzlies, Curry was locked in from deep, draining eight three-pointers in the first half alone. With seven more, he would have reclaimed the single-game record of 14 made threes — a mark currently held by none other than his longtime teammate and fellow Splash Brother, Klay Thompson.
But as the game wore on and the margin remained close, Curry cooled off slightly, ultimately finishing with 12 made threes and a game-high 52 points. Despite falling just short of the record, it was another electric performance from the greatest shooter the game has ever seen.
Curry admitted that he had Thompson’s record in mind as he entered the fourth quarter with 11 threes already under his belt. “The first two threes of the fourth quarter, I definitely was thinking about Klay. Chicago. This is as close as I’ve been with the amount of time left. After that, reality check. We had to win the game. You don’t want to sabotage anything,” Curry said in his postgame interview with NBC Sports Bay Area.
Curry re-entered the game at the 7:58 mark of the final frame, missing his next two attempts from long range as the Grizzlies continued to push back. With the game still in reach for Memphis, Curry made the decision to prioritize team basketball over chasing history. He attacked the basket, made the right reads, and ultimately nailed one more three — a corner shot — to finish the night with 12 from deep.
Klay Thompson’s 14 three-pointers from October 29, 2018, remain the benchmark, but Curry now has 27 career games with 10 or more made threes, continuing to distance himself from the rest of the league in that category.
Beyond the record chase, Curry’s performance highlighted just how dangerous the Warriors can be when he’s dialed in. Golden State hit 22 threes as a team, and the Grizzlies’ perimeter defense had no answers. Curry was left wide open far too often, and Memphis paid the price.
With Memphis still reeling from the firing of head coach Taylor Jenkins, their defensive cohesion remains a work in progress. Tuesday night should serve as a wake-up call — because if you give the Warriors even a sliver of daylight from beyond the arc, especially with Curry on the floor, they’ll make you pay.
Thompson’s record lives on — for now. But don’t blink, because if Curry is this hot in April, history may be just a few shots away.
