Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry surpassed Ray Allen for the NBA ‘s all-time record for three-pointers on Tuesday with two baskets from beyond the arc early in the game against the New York Knicks. Curry matched Allen’s record with his 2,973rd three-pointer with 10:50 remaining in the first quarter with his first shot of the contest. He missed a chance at breaking the record but minutes later he swished in number 2,974 to send the crowd at Madison Square Garden into a frenzy.
Curry let out a loud shout as teammates celebrated with him. He exchanged an emotional hug with coach Steve Kerr, who corralled the ball used in the record-setting shot, and then with his father, former NBA player Dell Curry. Curry has been scorching towards overtaking Allen’s record for years. Curry, whose mastery of the three-pointer has made the shot mainstream in the NBA, had been inching toward the record for a week.
He finally surpassed the milestone on Tuesday in his 789th career game; Allen had achieved his old benchmark in 1,300 appearances.
Curry, who said he knew teams would be keen to slow him, wasn’t disappointed to have a shot at the record at Madison Square Garden, perhaps the most storied arena in the NBA. “I’ve had some fun nights in that building,” said Curry, whose 54-point performance there against the Knicks on February 27, 2013 was a harbinger of a career that now includes three NBA titles and two Most Valuable Player awards.
