A dozen milestone achievements in Curry's legendary NBA profession

What a season it has been for Stephen Curry! Champion for a fourth time, formally topped the all-time 3-point king of the NBA, and the long-coveted Finals MVP award.

Curry formally grew to become the perfect shooter in league historical past again in December at Madison Square Garden after passing Ray Allen’s report for essentially the most NBA 3-point pictures ever made.

Then, on Thursday evening, he added the one factor he did not have in his trophy cupboard: an NBA Finals MVP award after he accomplished his finals collection masterpiece in opposition to the Boston Celtics with 34 factors, main the Golden State Warriors to their fourth title in eight years.

Curry additionally completely exploded on this 12 months’s NBA All-Star sport, scoring 50 factors and sinking SIXTEEN 3-pointers so as to add one other be aware to his unbelievable NBA legacy.

His CV is up there with absolutely the biggest to have performed the sport. Here are a few of the key milestones from a storied profession…

Curry makes his NBA debut

Start initially, in any case, it is the perfect place to start out. Following, a standout collegiate profession at Davidson, the Golden State Warriors selected Curry with the No 7 decide within the 2009 draft as they had been within the midst of a franchise rebuild. Curry confirmed some flashes of the play that has marked his Warriors profession, ending with 14 factors on 7-for-12 capturing together with seven assists, 4 steals and two rebounds in a 108-107 loss to the Houston Rockets.

Overall as a rookie, Curry would common 17.5 factors, 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.9 steals whereas main Golden State with 166 made 3-pointers (a complete that ranked sixth within the NBA as effectively). Curry performed alongside veteran Monta Ellis and the 2 mixed to common essentially the most factors, rebounds, assists and steals out of any guard duo within the NBA (66.8 ppg mixed). Additionally, Curry’s 5 30-10 video games that season had been essentially the most by a rookie since Michael Jordan (1984-85) and tied for the second most all-time (Oscar Robertson 25, 1960-61).

Lighting up Madison Square Garden for 54 factors

A 42-point sport as a rookie was Curry’s earlier profession excessive till February 27, 2013 in opposition to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. He then lit up New York for 54 factors, which was the highest-scoring efficiency by anybody within the league that season as he sank a then franchise-record 11 3-pointers (one shy of the NBA report on the time). Additionally, Curry’s whole was essentially the most by a Warrior since Purvis Short tallied 59 factors on November 17, 1984, and solely Short, Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry and Joe Fulks had recorded increased scoring video games with the Warriors.

From MSG’s reopening in 1968 at its current location, to the time of Curry’s masterclass, solely two different visiting gamers scored greater than 54 there: Kobe Bryant (61 in 2009) and Michael Jordan (55 in 1995).

Single-season 3-pointers-made report (the first time)

In the 2012-13 season, Curry was lastly wholesome once more after accidents spoiled his 2011-12 season. His banner second that season got here on the final evening of the common season as he sank a 3-pointer with 6:49 left within the second quarter in Portland to provide him 270 that season. In doing so, he handed the 269 Allen made with Seattle in 2005-06. Overall, Curry had 272 made 3-pointers that season, conducting that whole in 53 fewer makes an attempt than Allen did. He additionally claimed the Warriors’ single-season report for 3-pointers, besting Dorell Wright’s mark of 194 (set in 2010-11) by a whopping 78 long-range pictures.

He grew to become the primary participant in NBA historical past with at the least 250 threes and 500 assists in a single season and the second-ever to hit at the least 200 threes on 45 per cent-or-better from lengthy vary, becoming a member of Glen Rice in 1995-96.

Single-season 3-pointers-made report (2nd time)

Why personal one single-season 3-point capturing report when you may personal two of them? That appeared to be the method Curry took in 2014-15 as he smashed his mark for 3-pointers made. On April 9, 2015, Curry pushed previous his single-season mark of 272 made 3-pointers with a shot from the highest of the arc (paradoxically sufficient, in opposition to the workforce he set the outdated mark in opposition to – the Trail Blazers).

After his record-breaking run in 2011-12, Curry was much more deadly in 2014-15. He ended the season with 286 made 3-pointers and shot 44.3 per cent from deep as Golden State gained 67 video games and, ultimately, its first NBA title in 40 years.

Winning his first MVP award

The Warriors had been on the rise within the Western Conference by the point the 2014-15 season started, with Curry main the cost for Golden State. Any doubters of Curry’s capability had been silenced in 2014-15 after his banner season led to league MVP honours, besting Houston’s James Harden for the award.

Curry was a unanimous All-NBA First Team choice, led the league in 3-point discipline objectives for a 3rd consecutive season and ranked third in 3-point proportion. He hit a 3-pointer in all however one in all his 80 video games in 2014-15, together with every of his final 73 contests, giving him at the least one three in 148 of his final 149 regular-season video games. With season highs of 51 factors and 10 3-pointers on February 4 vs Dallas, Curry grew to become the one participant in league historical past to register a number of video games with at the least 50 factors and 10 3-pointers.

Single-season 3-pointers-made report (third time)

As the outdated saying goes: third time is a attraction. For Curry and the Warriors, his breaking of his single-season 3-pointers-made mark got here in a traditional time beyond regulation showdown in opposition to the rival Oklahoma City Thunder. Curry completed with 12 3-pointers within the sport, together with the game-winner with 0.6 seconds left to seal the win for Golden State.

Curry tied the sport up once more with 2:29 remaining along with his eleventh 3-pointer on the evening, which was the one which pushed him to 288 on the season. He then completed issues off along with his thrilling shot with lower than a second remaining that additional moved the report ahead. Overall, Curry completed with an astounding and record-setting 402 3-pointers made. In that 2015-16 season, Curry grew to become the primary participant in NBA historical past to sink 300 3-pointers and 400 3-pointers in a single marketing campaign. To date, he’s the one participant ever with 400 or extra 3-pointers in a season.

Becomes first unanimous league MVP

One season after gathering his first MVP award, Curry did much more to wow the voters in 2015-16. He grew to become the primary unanimous MVP winner in league historical past after Golden State rolled to an NBA-record 73-9 season spearheaded by the high-scoring guard.

Curry hit a 3-pointer in every of the 79 video games he performed in 2015-16, setting an NBA report by hitting at the least one three-pointer in 152-straight regular-season video games. He hit at the least 10 3-pointers 4 occasions throughout that season, a feat no different participant had achieved greater than 3 times of their careers as much as that time.

Overall, he averaged 30.1 ppg and have become the primary guard to common at the least 30 ppg whereas capturing 50 per cent or higher from the ground since Michael Jordan in 1991-92. Curry additionally led the league in steals (2.1), turning into the primary participant to guide the league in each scoring and steals since Allen Iverson in 2001-02. He shot 50.4 per cent general, 45.4 per cent on 3-pointers and led the NBA in free throw proportion (90.8 per cent), becoming a member of Steve Nash as the one gamers to hit 50/45/90 over the course of a complete marketing campaign.

Career-high 62-point sport

Injuries restricted Stephen Curry to only 5 video games within the pandemic-stricken 2019-20 season, however he was again with a vengeance in 2020-21. Through his first 5 video games that season, Curry was averaging 26.4 factors, 4.6 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.4 steals whereas capturing 42 per cent general (and 32.1 per cent on 3-pointers).

Then got here a January 3 date with Portland and Curry went wild. He completed with a career-high 62 factors, topping the 54-point sport at MSG in 2012 as he shot 18-for-31 (58.1 per cent) general, 8-for-16 on 3-pointers and 18-for-19 on the free-throw line whereas including 5 rebounds and 4 assists. He scored these 62 factors in 36 minutes, and scored 30 factors in each halves (a feat final achieved by “Pistol” Pete Maravich in 1977).

Becoming the NBA’s all-time 3-pointers chief

Curry grew to become the NBA’s all-time chief in profession 3-pointers through the Golden State Warriors’ 105-96 victory over the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on December 14, by hitting a pair of first-quarter triples to maneuver previous Ray Allen and seize the highest spot.

As quickly as the two,974th 3-pointer of his profession dropped, the Arena went completely wild and the story of the evening is recorded on this thread put collectively by the Sky Sports NBA Twitter admin – undoubtedly price testing in case you are a fan of the Warriors’ quantity 30.

Curry broke the 3-point report over the course of 789 video games, which is 511 fewer video games than it took Allen (1,300) to succeed in the milestone. The truth it took over 500 fewer video games is simply additional proof that Curry is undoubtedly the perfect shooter the sport has ever seen.

Before you could be No 1, it’s important to get to second on the checklist and Curry additionally remembers that fondly. As his profession rolled into season 12 in 2020-21, his 3-point proficiency didn’t cease. By the third sport of that season, he reached 2,500 profession 3-pointers sooner than anybody in NBA historical past, becoming a member of Allen and Reggie Miller in that membership. Thirteen video games later, Curry handed Miller to snag the No 2 spot on the all-time 3-pointers-made checklist.

Curry nailed a catch-and-shoot nook three within the third quarter in opposition to the Utah Jazz to go Miller, who made 2,560 3-pointers over 1,389 common season video games throughout his 18-year NBA profession. Curry handed him in his 715th profession sport, coming early in his twelfth NBA season.

Record-breaking efficiency in 2022 All-Star Game

Steph went completely wild on this 12 months’s NBA All-Star sport again in his residence state of Ohio, scoring 50 factors and notching 16 threes as he broke a number of data.

The solely report he didn’t break was Anthony Davis’ 2017 mark of 52 factors scored in an All-Star Game. It was there for the taking, however Curry missed his final six pictures from the ground after red-hot flurries noticed him set new marks for essentially the most three-pointers in an All-Star quarter (6), half (8) and sport (16) whereas additionally passing James Harden on the midseason traditional’s whole made threes checklist (39) to maneuver to the highest.

Most consecutive video games with a 3-pointer

One of the few disappointments of this 12 months’s NBA Finals collection for Curry got here when his report run of video games with a made 3-pointer got here to an finish in Game 5. He had gone 233 consecutive video games with at the least one made 3-pointer, stretching again to November 8, 2018 and a sport in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks. In that sport, Curry went 0-for-4 from three within the sport and had simply 10 factors, however there have been mitigating circumstances as he departed halfway by the third quarter with an damage and didn’t return. He had additionally scored one in each playoff sport of his profession previous to Monday evening’s shutout, 132 video games stretching again all the way in which to his debut in 2013.

Dependability from the 3-point line has, after all, been a trademark of Curry’s profession and – previous to the present report being set – he had already achieved so as soon as earlier than. The earlier mark was 157 consecutive video games with at the least one 3-pointer made, a streak that spanned three seasons from November 13, 2014 to November 3, 2016. Kyle Korver is the one different participant to succeed in 100 straight video games with a 3-pointer at 127 video games.

Winning first NBA Finals MVP

That brings us proper to this point – and Curry was completely deserving of his first NBA Finals MVP award! He completed with per-game averages of 31.2 factors, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and a couple of.0 steals (this actually signifies his defensive leap) on 48.2 per cent from the sector and 43.7 from 3-point vary.

Even if the Celtics had gained the collection, the Warriors celebrity was the perfect participant by a cushty margin and his dazzling 43-point show in Game 4 was a murals. Now, with the Bill Russell MVP Award – gained within the TD Garden no much less – the Curry trophy cupboard is full.

As he mentioned after breaking the NBA 3-pointers report, all the things else will now “just be about how far can you push it.”

It’s going to be sensible to see how far he can go. As one of many biggest sportsmen on the planet, he is simply there to be loved.

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