It seems like this season has been one long string of career milestones for Steph Curry.
For his latest feat, Steph became the 49th member of the NBA’s 20,000-point club Thursday night against the Denver Nuggets. Naturally, Steph reached the 20K plateau with a 3-pointer as part of a game-swaying third quarter when he scored 18 of his 34 points.
Curry’s flurry loomed large in the 113-102 comeback win, when they trailed by as many as 14 in the third. After the victory, Steph got the game ball and reflected on the importance of hitting his latest milestone.
“It’s wild,” Curry said. “This whole year’s kinda been a steady reminder of how blessed I am to play this game at the highest level, to be healthy, still enjoy the game, still love what I do. I don’t see that changing time soon. Also, it’s a reminder of all the work that you put in and everybody that’s helped you get to this point.”
Remember, when Curry’s career started, it was marred by question marks about a faulty ankle that limited his playing time. When he signed a four-year $44 million extension in 2012, some even wondered if he was worth the investment. Welp.
This season, Curry has become the NBA’s all-time 3-point leader, Warriors all-time steals leader and extended his NBA record to 186 straight games with a made three on Thursday night. To say nothing of the ridiculous 16 3-pointer MVP performance in the All-Star Game.
The 20,000-point marker and 2,974 3-pointer records are marks of longevity. Four days shy of his 34th birthday, Curry is continuing to build his case for all-time greatness.
“A wise man once said, celebrate all the little moments that happen,” Curry said. “When you can say you’ve done something that only 50 people have done at this level, it’s pretty crazy. I’ll enjoy it for sure.”
There are 47 players between Curry (20,006 points) and all-time leading scorer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387), starting with former Warriors forward Antawn Jamison (20,042).
“Keep pushing,” Curry said. “It’s good motivation to keep going where I’m going.”
