Steph Curry made NBA history this week, and did it in dramatic fashion.
The Golden State Warriors guard has been in the midst of one of the best scoring stretches of his career, with the streak coming to a head in a key win that saw Curry reach a mark no NBA player ever has before. The moment captured Curry some viral attention and helped push his team closer to contention in a competitive Western Conference.
Curry Sets History
Curry has been on a hot streak that stretched across the month of April, highlighted by an 11-game streak with 30 points or more and a number of games with double digit three-pointers. It came to a head in Sunday’s win over the Sacramento Kings, where he nailed five threes to set the single-month record with 83 three-pointers.
The triple that set the record was one of his most memorable. With less than a minute remaining in the first half, Curry let the inbound roll toward midcourt before finally picking up just inside the halfcourt line, taking one quick dribble before nailing a deep shot that gave the Warriors the chance for a two-for-one. The Warriors shared a clip on Twitter, capturing Curry some viral attention.
Stephen Curry from the parking lot! pic.twitter.com/vWxiDDguvI
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 26, 2021
The two-time MVP was asked what goes through his mind when he’s on the court during such a streak, and Curry had a hard time putting it into words.
“When you’re in this type of rhythm, nothing,” Curry said, via ESPN. “It’s the best way to explain it. It’s just trying to get a decent look, get your feet underneath you, and then the rest is muscle memory, confidence and just creativity. So just trying to be in the moment as much as possible. When you’re missing, that’s when you start thinking about mechanics, you start thinking about other stuff. Those thoughts creep in your head. But when you’re in a flow, in rhythm, there is not much going on upstairs. It’s nice.”
Curry’s Streak Boosts Warriors
The streak has come at a critical time for Golden State, with the team fighting for playoff positioning. The win moved the Warriors closer to their goal of reaching the No. 6 spot, which would allow them to avoid the play-in tournament. The 31-30 Warriors are currently in 10th place, two-and-a-half games behind the Dallas Mavericks at No. 6.
Stephen Curry has now made 83 threes in the month of April.
That is the most EVER threes in a calendar month in @NBAHistory 👏 https://t.co/n4CtcUX9z1 pic.twitter.com/38aSN1AyYo
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) April 26, 2021
While there is still much work to climb their way out of the NBA’s new four-team play-in tournament, the Warriors moved closer to securing an overall playoff spot. They are four games ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans, who are currently in 11th place.
Curry’s hot streak has also moved him solidly into the MVP conversation. Dieter Kurtenbach of the Mercury News noted that there would still be much work on Curry’s part and for the Warriors for him to have a chance. He wrote that Curry would likely need to win the NBA scoring title and the Warriors would need to move up to at least the sixth spot, avoiding the play-in tournament.
The scoring title could be within reach. With 11 games left, Curry is neck-and-neck with Bradley Beal of the Washington Wizards. Curry is averaging 31.3 points per game for the season, while Beal is just a shade better with 31.4.
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