Curry thanks trailblazers after setting 3-point milestone
SALT LAKE CITY • Stephen Curry is considered to be the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) greatest shooter but he remains indebted to those before him who paved the way for his success.
So after he passed Reggie Miller to move up to No. 2 on the all-time three-pointers list, the guard was touched to receive a surprise shout-out from the Indiana Pacers great.
Curry paced the Golden State Warriors with 24 points – 15 came from beyond the arc – as the visitors (8-8) fell to a 127-108 rout by the Utah Jazz (12-4), who are second in the Western Conference and lie six places above their opponents.
Still the loss could not diminish the three-time NBA champion’s achievement.
All-Star guard Curry now trails only Ray Allen (2,973) after draining his 2,562nd trey here.
Allen reached the mark in 1,074 games, while Miller did so in 1,389 games.
Curry’s feat has come in just 715 games and assuming he continues his pace of four three-pointers per game, he should overtake Allen some time in the middle of next season.
Asked by reporters how he felt, the two-time Most Valuable Player, who honoured Miller during the game by showing a “three” and “one” sign in reference to the Pacer’s retired shirt number, said: “It’s special.
“I was trying to enjoy it in the middle of the game because I knew it was on the horizon and I knew how much I looked up to him (Miller) growing up, watching him play, playing against my dad (Dell).
“Emulating a lot of things he did moving without the ball. I always said him and (current Nets coach) Steve Nash, I always tried to put those two players together.
“Something I have been looking forward to for a very long time. Him and Ray were shooting the basketball, and it’s kind of weird… it’s pretty crazy to be at this point now.”
Miller then stunned Curry after appearing midway through the video call alongside his son Ryker, who was wearing the Warrior’s No. 30 jersey.
“You are an inspiration to so many little ones like mine,” he said. “I know what goes into that… So thank you so much for what you have done, my friend.”
Curry later added that he appreciated the support and was thankful he now gets “to pass that torch on as well”, claiming his prowess from downtown was something “that I pride myself on for sure”.
In the East, Kevin Durant scored 31 points as the Brooklyn Nets never trailed, surviving a number of fourth-quarter comeback attempts by the Miami Heat and a career-high 41-point night by Bam Adebayo to squeeze out a 128-124 victory in New York.
The hosts recorded their first win in three games in which their “Big Three” of Durant, Kyrie Irving (28 points) and recent recruit James Harden (12 points) have played together.
REUTERS