Getty Lakers star LeBron James, left, and the Warriors' Stephen Curry
And now there are seven. It has not been easy lately for the Warriors’ Stephen Curry, but he is still on the precipice of NBA history, needing just seven 3-pointers to surpass Ray Allen for the league’s all-time record. When it comes to a milestone like that, one of the league’s foremost active historians—LeBron James of the Lakers—is certain to have a take.
James was asked after the Lakers’ win in Oklahoma City for his perspective on Curry, whom he faced four times in the NBA Finals as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. James is also in the rare position of not only playing against Curry but of having played with Allen, when the two were teammates in Miami.
“I wish I could be there to congratulate him but I will be there, I will be one of the guys in our league that will congratulate him socially and things of that nature,” James said. “But, listen, I know Ray and I know the work that he put into it. If there is one guy he lets someone pass his record, and it’s Steph, Ray is definitely grateful it’s a guy like that. So, pretty cool accomplishment and you can’t even jinx it because it’s gonna happen.”
James: Curry Is ‘Freaking Amazing’
Curry has picked a bad time for a two-game slump, having shot 9-for-31 from the 3-point line in his last two games. Still, James thought back to the Warriors’ win over Portland on Wednesday, when Curry was 16 away from the record, and marveled that we even considered it a possibility Curry would get there.
“First of all, the fact that the other night when they played, that we were really tracking to see if he could make 16 3s in a game, it just lets you know how freaking amazing this guy is,” James said. “If there’s one guy in NBA history that can make 16 3s, it would be Steph Curry. I’m literally sitting there doing the calculations in my head, I’m like, ‘Sixteen, Ok, I know he’s made 12 a few times.’ Well, if there is someone that can do it, it’ll be him. That just lets you know how incredible he is.”
Seven, of course, is a much more manageable number, meaning Curry could well top Allen in his next outing. Curry has made seven or more 3s in eight games this season—almost a third of those in which he has played. But there is still some question whether Curry, whom the Warriors want to rest, will play on Monday in Indiana.
Warriors say they still haven’t made final decision on Steph Curry’s status on Monday at Pacers. Sounds like a rest night is likely (as @TheSteinLine reported). Curry: “We’ll make the right decision accordingly…😬”
Whether he does play or does not, if Curry does not knock down seven on Monday, it will set up the chance that Curry breaks the record at Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday.
LeBron Still Remembers Steph’s 2016 Winner vs. OKC
Like James, Curry has had memorable performances playing on the road against the Knicks. But for James, the 3-pointer that Curry hit that most stands out came against the Thunder, an overtime game-winner from about 38 feet in February 2016.
You might remember:
“The one thing that sticks out in my mind unfortunately for Oklahoma is the one shot he made here, he pulled up from 38, 39, 40 feet and drained that thing,” James said. “Obviously, we had so many great battles, he hit some big-time buckets against us, you know, obviously he’s been phenomenal his whole career. More important, just a great, a great dude.”