- Curry makes history as the first player with 4,000 career three-pointers
- Golden State beats Sacramento 130-104
- Curry calls the moment “special”
Stephen Curry, widely regarded as the greatest shooter in NBA history, has made history again by becoming the first player in the league to hit 4,000 career three-pointers.
The Golden State Warriors’ game against the Sacramento Kings on Thursday night provided Curry the chance to reach this milestone, as he needed just two more three-pointers to hit the historic mark.
His first came midway through the first quarter when Jonathan Kuminga found him wide open, allowing Curry to sink the shot and reach career three-pointer No. 3,999, helping the Warriors take an early 14-6 lead.
Less than a minute later, Curry took another shot but missed. Despite the crowd buzzing with anticipation, he didn’t get another three-point opportunity until late in the second quarter. However, his attempt missed short with just under four minutes left in the half.
Before the game, Curry was seen dealing with back tightness, as noted by the TNT broadcast. Cameras also caught him sitting on the bench with his back wrapped and a heat pad applied.
The historic shot came in the third quarter, with just over eight minutes left, when Curry dribbled past his defender and nailed a deep three. The crowd erupted in loud “MVP” chants and gave him a standing ovation. The Warriors took a timeout to honor Curry’s achievement, playing a tribute video featuring current and former players. Curry waved to the crowd before play resumed.
Curry finished the game with 11 points as the Warriors defeated the Kings 130-104, improving their record to 38-28 on the season.
After the game, Curry reflected on the moment, calling it “special” to reach the milestone in front of the home crowd. “It was a weird game, I didn’t get many attempts, but when I finally got it in the third, I felt the energy. It was special,” he said in an interview with TNT.
Curry passed Ray Allen to become the NBA’s all-time leader in three-pointers made in 2021, and since then, Allen has fallen to third place behind Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden.
When asked if he was already thinking about his 5,000th career three-pointer, Curry responded that he was focused on “living in the moment.” He added, “Blessed to keep doing this thing. 2,974 felt like an eternity ago. Being out here with this fresh milestone is pretty cool. Who knows? … I’m going to stay in the present right now.”
Before the game, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said he “never could’ve imagined” Curry achieving this feat but praised the four-time champion for his remarkable longevity. “He was obviously a great three-point shooter, but something like that requires incredible longevity, and here we are a decade later,” Kerr said.
The Warriors have been on a hot streak since acquiring six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat at the trade deadline.
“Right now, it’s just about appreciating the challenge of trying to put together a good run down the stretch,” Curry told CNN during the All-Star break. “We’re taking it in small increments. We haven’t been a consistent team all year, so we’re trying to put a streak of wins together and get into a playoff series, because that’s really all we want – a fighting chance to be a threat in the playoffs.”
Since the All-Star break, the Warriors have won nine of their last 10 games and are 12-1 with Butler in the lineup. The team has climbed from 10th to 6th in the Western Conference standings during this stretch.
Curry has benefited greatly from Butler’s addition, averaging 30.9 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.4 rebounds since the trade.
As the regular season nears its end, Curry is confident that the Warriors have what it takes to make a deep playoff run and capture a fifth championship. “Absolutely. That’s why we’re juiced to be in this position,” he said on 95.7 The Game on Wednesday. “I like the idea that we can confidently say, on a night-to-night basis, that we can beat anybody.”
On Friday, Curry will turn 37 and continues to enjoy a standout season. He recently became the 26th player in NBA history to score 25,000 career points, was named All-Star Game MVP in the Bay Area, and won his first career gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
