Four Years After a Record Night, the NBA Is Still Playing Catch-Up
On this day in 2021, Stephen Curry had the chance to break Ray Allen’s three-point record at Madison Square Garden. The iconic venue was a fitting stage for Curry’s achievement. Early in the first quarter, he darted beyond the arc after a cut, received the ball, and sank his 2,974th career three-pointer. Four years after making NBA history, the baby-faced assassin remains just as potent.
A few highlights have taken place in these last four years for Curry and the Warriors, but none more important than what happened in 2022. In a fascinating run, they took care of the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies, and Dallas Mavericks in that order, dropping just four games in total. Once they got to the NBA Championship, they faced a hungry and impressive Boston Celtics team. As he so often does, the future Hall of Famer raised his game during that series. Curry averaged 31.2 points, six rebounds, and five assists en route to a ring and a unanimous Finals MVP. He was undoubtedly Golden State’s best player, and as the leader of that group, he took his team back to the league’s top step.
Comparing then and now, the two-time MVP’s conditioning remains elite, helping him arguably stay in his prime. The same player who ran defenses ragged as a rookie still does so in year 17. Although his body is more fragile and he’s had recent injuries, these haven’t changed his style. As second-year Spur Stephon Castle said after facing the Warriors, “it’s tough, you can’t really relax on him.”
Curry has continued to provide steady offense, and the statistics tell the same tale. During this campaign, he averages 28.5 points per game, which would rank fourth best in his career if the season finished today. Curry also averages 4.8 made threes, his fifth-highest total of any season, and still shoots free throws at an above-90 % success rate. Due to his age, his minutes have naturally decreased, with a median of 31.1, and his assists have also decreased to 4.1. However, the latter number should increase soon as Golden State figures out a definitive guard rotation. This should lead to improved chemistry with Curry and his teammates, and if certain players like Buddy Hield can find their shooting groove, assists will increase. Stats aside, the “Chef” is a generational, once-in-a-lifetime player, and he still has juice to give on the four-year anniversary of such a special night.
