© Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
OAKLAND — Stephen Curry is often at his best when the opponent is on its last breath. We have seen the two-time NBA MVP land one knockout punch after the next throughout his nine-year career, and Sunday night punctuated one of his all-time best stretches.
It turns out Curry entered Game 2 of the 2018 NBA Finals without a three-point record to his name: most single game threes in an NBA Finals contest. No longer.
Curry broke Ray Allen’s previous record of eight made three-pointers, accomplished with the Boston Celtics in 2010, after sinking nine threes in Golden State’s 122-103 over the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday, extending its series lead to 2-0.
Curry started the barrage about eight minutes into the game off a Kevin Durant pass. Curry found a groove in the second quarter, drilling three more three-pointers, all of which were pull-up jumpers. He cruised to 16 points as the Warriors entered halftime leading 59-46.
After scoring one point in the third quarter, the 30-year-old point guard entered the fourth quarter five three-pointers away from Allen’s record. No problem.
Curry’s first three in the final period came via a one-on-one switch with Larry Nance Jr. Curry shook Nance, dribbled between-the-legs into a pull-up, and drilled a three. It was an important shot, considering LeBron James had just hit a three-pointer to cut the Golden State lead to seven before Curry’s response. Curry made another three-pointer on the following possession, leading to a Cleveland timeout.
Steph put Larry Nance on skates pic.twitter.com/y4o6XXevPN
— gifdsports (@gifdsports) June 4, 2018
His next make — his seventh of the night — was preeminent. After fumbling the ball in the paint, the clock winding down, Curry retreated to the perimeter, lost the ball again, and flung a fall-away prayer over Kevin Love as the shot clock expired — swoosh.
My goodness, Steph ?
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/A04NLASA2W
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 4, 2018
Many bystanders were shocked. Most were overjoyed. Klay Thompson was confused.
“It was about seven seconds on the clock, (and) he just kept going backwards,” Thompson said. “I don’t know why. He just threw it up, and I didn’t think it had any chance of going in. That was kind of like a dagger shot. Just gave us all the momentum back.”
This was the point Draymond Green knew Curry had it going. And when he finds these grooves, Green abides by a couple known rules: get out of the way, or, if Curry gives it up, give it back.
Golden State’s delight was juxtaposed with Cleveland’s misery.
“You definitely notice the looks on their faces when he hit some of the shots,” Green said. “It was like dagger after dagger. Played great defense, and he pulled up and hit a three in your face. You definitely notice the effect that it has on the opposing team.”
The only way Curry’s next made three would have rivaled his last was if he drilled a shot beyond halfcourt. He provided a worthy consolation: a four-point play. Curry gave up the ball to Green (who knew his role here), relocated in the right corner, caught the pass, and let another one go with little air space. He drilled the shot, while being fouled, and later made the free throw to give the Warriors a 16-point lead with fewer than six minutes remaining.
Curry’s final make was for the record. He welcomed Cleveland reserve forward Cedi Osman to the game with a 28-foot pull-up jumper near the Cavs bench — splash. The Warriors went ahead by 21 points with 3:30 left, marking the end of Curry’s relentless reign.
The Warriors star now holds both the playoff single-game high and regular season high (13 three-point makes) as he continues to add to his Hall of Fame resume. Sunday night’s 33-point effort will likely crystallize as one of his most memorable, given the stakes, and rapid succession of buckets.
He admitted that much.
“Regardless of how the season went, that’s a pretty cool deal to have accomplished, knowing who has held the record for eight years,” Curry said. “It was a cool moment, for sure.”