In Golden State’s thrilling 134-125 win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night at FedExForum, Warriors star Steph Curry delivered an explosive performance, scoring 52 points and hitting 12 three-pointers. However, amidst his scoring outburst, Curry couldn’t help but think about his former teammate Klay Thompson’s iconic single-game 3-point record.
Curry, who was on a mission to lead the Warriors to victory, admitted to thinking about Thompson’s 14 three-pointers—set in a game against the Chicago Bulls on October 29, 2018—as he began the fourth quarter with back-to-back triples. “That was the first two threes [attempts] of the fourth quarter; I definitely was thinking about Klay [setting the record] in Chicago,” Curry shared with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kelenna Azubuike and Bob Fitzgerald on Warriors Postgame Live. “This is as close as I’ve been with that amount of time left. But then after that, reality check. We got to win the game, so you don’t want to sabotage anything.”
Curry came out hot against the Grizzlies, knocking down five threes in the first quarter. By halftime, he had made eight 3-pointers. Though he only added four more in the second half, his performance helped propel Golden State to a crucial victory, lifting the team into the No. 5 spot in the Western Conference standings.
Thompson’s record of 14 3-pointers surpassed Curry’s previous record of 13, set on November 7, 2016, against the New Orleans Pelicans. Since then, Curry has come close several times to reclaiming the single-game 3-point crown. Before his outburst on Tuesday, he had made 12 3-pointers in a 56-point performance in the Warriors’ dramatic 121-115 comeback win over the Orlando Magic on February 27. After that game, Curry admitted he was still chasing Thompson’s record.
“Still chasing the 14, though,” Curry told reporters. “So [Thompson] still got me on that.”
As Curry continues his pursuit of Thompson’s record, the two former Splash Brothers continue to dominate the 3-point shooting scene. Only time will tell when the “3-point king” will reclaim the title, but for now, Thompson holds the bragging rights over his fellow sharpshooter.
