Stephen Curry’s extraordinary April has finally come to a close but only after his prolific shooting left his coach speechless.
“I’ve run out of ways to describe Steph’s play,” Steve Kerr said last Sunday after the Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings, led by Curry’s 37 points and seven three-pointers. “I’m just going to stop trying, and I’ll ask you to go back, I don’t know, three or four games ago and look at my comments then. Use those tonight again. I don’t know what else to say. The shot-making is just unbelievable and mind-boggling, but I’ve used those phrases already.”
Stephen Curry’s
three-pointers in April
Day
Opponent
Made
%
Attempts
5
11
Miami
1st
45.5
3
12
25.0
Atlanta
4th
5
10
50.0
Milwaukee
6th
5
12
41.7
Washington
9th
8
15
53.3
Houston
10th
10
18
55.6
Denver
12th
11
16
68.8
Oklahoma City
14th
4
13
30.8
Cleveland
15th
11
19
57.9
Boston
17th
10
17
58.8
Philadelphia
19th
2
14
14.3
Washington
21st
4
9
Denver
23rd
44.4
7
14
Sacramento
25th
50.0
55.6
5
9
Dallas
27th
6
17
Minnesota
29th
35.3
Stephen Curry’s
three-pointers in April
Day
Opponent
Made
%
Attempts
5
11
Miami
1st
45.5
3
12
25.0
Atlanta
4th
5
10
50.0
Milwaukee
6th
5
12
41.7
Washington
9th
8
15
53.3
Houston
10th
10
18
55.6
Denver
12th
11
16
68.8
Oklahoma City
14th
4
13
30.8
Cleveland
15th
11
19
57.9
Boston
17th
10
17
58.8
Philadelphia
19th
2
14
14.3
Washington
21st
4
9
Denver
23rd
44.4
7
14
Sacramento
25th
50.0
55.6
5
9
Dallas
27th
6
17
Minnesota
29th
35.3
Stephen Curry’s
three-pointers in April
Day
Opponent
Made
%
Attempts
5
11
Miami
1st
45.5
3
12
25.0
Atlanta
4th
5
10
50.0
Milwaukee
6th
5
12
41.7
Washington
9th
8
15
53.3
Houston
10th
10
18
55.6
Denver
12th
11
16
68.8
Oklahoma City
14th
4
13
30.8
Cleveland
15th
11
19
Boston
17th
57.9
10
17
Philadelphia
19th
58.8
2
14
Washington
21st
14.3
4
9
Denver
23rd
44.4
7
14
Sacramento
25th
50.0
5
9
Dallas
27th
55.6
6
17
Minnesota
29th
35.3
Stephen Curry’s three-pointers in April
Day
Opponent
Made
%
Attempts
Miami
1st
45.5
5
11
Atlanta
4th
25.0
3
12
Milwaukee
6th
50.0
5
10
Washington
9th
41.7
5
12
Houston
10th
53.3
8
15
55.6
10
18
Denver
12th
Oklahoma City
14th
68.8
11
16
30.8
4
13
Cleveland
15th
57.9
Boston
17th
11
19
Philadelphia
19th
58.8
10
17
Washington
21st
14.3
2
14
Denver
23rd
44.4
4
9
Sacramento
25th
50.0
7
14
Dallas
27th
55.6
5
9
Minnesota
29th
35.3
6
17
Stephen Curry’s three-pointers in April
Day
Opponent
Made
%
Attempts
Miami
1st
45.5
5
11
Atlanta
4th
25.0
3
12
Milwaukee
6th
50.0
5
10
Washington
9th
41.7
5
12
Houston
10th
53.3
8
15
55.6
10
18
Denver
12th
Oklahoma City
14th
68.8
11
16
30.8
4
13
Cleveland
15th
57.9
Boston
17th
11
19
Philadelphia
19th
58.8
10
17
Washington
21st
14.3
2
14
Denver
23rd
44.4
4
9
Sacramento
25th
50.0
7
14
Dallas
27th
55.6
5
9
Minnesota
29th
35.3
6
17
A new phrase now applies: record-setting. Over 15 games in April, Curry made 96 three-pointers, obliterating the NBA record for three-pointers in a month. The record had belonged to James Harden, who made 82 in November 2019 with the Houston Rockets.
Most three-pointers
in a month
Stephen Curry Apr. 2021
James Harden Nov. 2019
96
82
206
attempts
211
attempts
Curry broke the record shooting 46.6 percent compared to Harden's 38.9 percent
Most three-pointers
in a month
Stephen Curry
James Harden
April 2021
Nov. 2019
96
82
206
attempts
211
attempts
Curry broke the record shooting 46.6 percent compared to Harden's 38.9 percent
Most three-pointers
in a month
Stephen Curry
James Harden
April 2021
Nov. 2019
96
82
206
attempts
211
attempts
Curry broke the record shooting 46.6 percent compared to Harden's 38.9 percent
Most three-pointers in a month
Stephen Curry April 2021
96
206
attempts
Curry broke the record shooting 46.6 percent compared to Harden's 38.9 percent
James Harden November 2019
82
211
attempts
Most three-pointers in a month
Stephen Curry April 2021
96
206
attempts
Curry broke the record shooting 46.6 percent compared to Harden's 38.9 percent
James Harden November 2019
82
211
attempts
Curry missed the game against Toronto
96
Stephen Curry
APRIL 2021
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
He made 11 three-pointers against Oklahoma City and Boston
82
James Harden
november 2019
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Harden made 9 against Chicago
Circles sized according to number
of three-pointers made
Curry missed the game against Toronto
96
Stephen Curry
APRIL 2021
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
He made 11 three-pointers against Oklahoma City and Boston
82
James Harden
november 2019
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
30
24
25
26
27
28
29
Harden made 9 against Chicago
Circles sized according to number of three-pointers made
Curry missed the game against Toronto
96
Stephen Curry
APRIL 2021
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
He made 11 three-pointers against Oklahoma City and Boston
82
James Harden
november 2019
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
30
24
25
26
27
28
29
Harden made 9 against Chicago
Circles sized according to number of three-pointers made
Curry missed the game against Toronto
96
82
Stephen Curry
James Harden
APRIL 2021
november 2019
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
1
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
30
25
26
27
28
29
30
24
25
26
27
28
29
He made 11 three-pointers against Oklahoma City and Boston
Harden made 9 against Chicago
Circles sized according to number of three-pointers made
Curry missed the game against Toronto
96
82
Stephen Curry
James Harden
APRIL 2021
november 2019
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
1
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
30
25
26
27
28
29
30
24
25
26
27
28
29
He made 11 three-pointers against Oklahoma City and Boston
Harden made 9 against Chicago
Circles sized according to number of three-pointers made
[The best counter to criticism of the NBA play-in tourney: More Stephen Curry]
Curry was simply off the charts during his month to remember, averaging 37.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.6 assists. During that stretch, he had five 40-point games, one 50-point game and four games with 10 or more three-pointers.
Curry’s points
in April
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Day
3p
1
4
41
6
9
10
53
12
42
14
15
47
17
49
19
21
78.6 percent of the points Curry made against Oklahoma City were three-pointers (33 points)
23
25
27
29
Curry’s points
in April
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Day
3p
1
4
41
6
9
10
53
12
42
14
15
47
17
49
19
21
78.6 percent of the points Curry made against Oklahoma City were three-pointers (33 points)
23
25
27
29
78.6 percent of the points Curry made against Oklahoma City were three-pointers (33 points)
Curry’s points in April
60
53
49
47
50
42
41
40
30
20
3p
10
0
1
4
6
9
10
12
14
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
Day
78.6 percent of the points Curry made against Oklahoma City were three-pointers (33 points)
Curry’s points in April
60
53
49
47
50
42
41
40
30
20
3p
10
0
1
4
6
9
10
12
14
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
Day
Curry now has 21 career games with at least 10 three-pointers. No other NBA player has more than five.
Stephen Curry
21
Klay Thompson
5
James Harden
3
Damian Lillard
3
J.R. Smith
3
Stephen Curry
21
Klay Thompson
5
James Harden
3
Damian Lillard
3
J.R. Smith
3
Stephen Curry
21
Klay Thompson
5
James Harden
3
Damian Lillard
3
J.R. Smith
3
Stephen Curry
21
Klay Thompson
5
James Harden
3
Damian Lillard
3
J.R. Smith
3
“I know it’s a record, but when you’re shooting like this, you don’t really think about games past,” Curry said when asked to put his gaudy month into perspective. “Every new game is just a reset and another chance to show your confidence and the rhythm that you’re in. You don’t really think about, ‘Oh, I hit 10 in the last game; let me get whatever it is this game.’ It’s just, ‘Keep shooting.’ I’m going to stick with that.”
The list of Curry’s three-point records is seemingly endless. He is on track to lead the NBA in three-pointers in a season for the sixth time, he holds the NBA record for threes in a season with 402 in 2015-16, and he ranks second to Ray Allen (2,973) in career three-pointers with 2,779. At his current pace, Curry should take over the top spot next year at 33. Allen played his last game at 38.
Most career
three-pointers
Comparison by age
Stephen Curry
Ray Allen
2,973
3,000
2,779
2,500
2,560
Reggie
Miller
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
Age
21
22
32
38
39
Most career
three-pointers
Comparison by age
Stephen Curry
Ray Allen
2,973
3,000
2,779
2,500
2,560
Reggie
Miller
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
Age
21
22
32
38
39
Most career three-pointers
Comparison by age
2,973
3,000
Ray Allen
2,779
Stephen Curry
Reggie Miller
2,500
2,560
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
Age
21
22
32
38
39
Most career three-pointers
Comparison by age
2,973
3,000
Ray Allen
2,779
Stephen Curry
Reggie Miller
2,500
2,560
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
Age
21
22
32
38
39
Most career three-pointers
Comparison by age
2,973
2,779
3,000
Ray Allen
Stephen Curry
Reggie Miller
2,500
2,560
2,000
1,500
1,000
500
0
Age
21
22
32
38
39
Most three-pointers in a season
Of the top 100 seasons for three-pointers made, 68 have come since the 2012-13 season.
0
400
200
100
300
20/21
354
378
Step Curry holds the record for
the most three-pointers made in a season and he has the first-, third- and fourth-best seasons.
324
15/16
402
Harden is second with 378 three-pointers in 2018-19 and has six of the top 100 seasons.
10/11
05/06
269
201
229
00/01
Ray Allen appears in the top 100 six times and led the league in three seasons.
94/95
John Starks has the earliest appearance on the top 100 with 217 in 1994-95.
Most three-pointers in a season
Of the top 100 seasons for three-pointers made, 68 have come since the 2012-13 season.
0
400
500
100
200
300
2020/21
354
378
Stephen Curry holds the record for the most three-pointers made in a season and also has the third- and fourth-best seasons.
324
402
2015/16
James Harden is second with 378 three-pointers in 2018-19 and has six of the top 100 seasons.
2010/11
269
2005/06
201
229
Ray Allen appears in the top 100 six times and led the league in three seasons.
2000/01
1994/95
John Starks has the earliest appearance on the top 100 with 217 in 1994-95.
Most three-pointers in a season
Of the top 100 seasons for three-pointers made, 68 have come since the 2012-13 season.
0
400
500
100
200
300
2020/21
354
378
Stephen Curry holds the record for the most three-pointers made in a season and also has the third- and fourth-best seasons.
324
402
2015/16
James Harden is second with 378 three-pointers in 2018-19 and has six of the top 100 seasons.
2010/11
269
2005/06
201
229
Ray Allen appears in the top 100 six times and led the league in three seasons.
2000/01
1994/95
John Starks has the earliest appearance on the top 100 with 217 in 1994-95.
Most three-pointers in a season
Of the top 100 seasons for three-pointers made, 68 have come since the 2012-13 season.
Stephen Curry holds the record for the most three-pointers made in a season and also has the third- and fourth-best seasons.
500 three-pointers in a season
402
400
378
324
354
300
269
229
201
200
John Starks has the earliest appearance on the top 100 with 217 in 1994-95.
James Harden is second with 378 three-pointers in 2018-19 and has six of the top 100 seasons.
Ray Allen appears in the top 100 six times and led the league in three seasons.
100
0
1994/95
2000/01
2005/06
2010/11
2015/16
2020/21
Most three-pointers in a season
Of the top 100 seasons for three-pointers made, 68 have come since the 2012-13 season.
Stephen Curry holds the record for the most three-pointers made in a season and also has the third- and fourth-best seasons.
500 three-pointers in a season
402
400
378
324
354
300
269
229
201
200
John Starks has the earliest appearance on the top 100 with 217 in 1994-95.
Ray Allen appears in the top 100 six times and led the league in three seasons.
James Harden is second with 378 three-pointers in 2018-19 and has six of the top 100 seasons.
100
0
1994/95
2000/01
2005/06
2010/11
2015/16
2020/21
Throughout his career, Curry has challenged conventional wisdom about the three-pointer, finding ways to shoot with excellent efficiency even when his volume of attempts increases and his distance from the basket increases. In response to rookie center James Wiseman’s season-ending knee injury, Curry upped his workload in April, posting a usage rate of 35.6 percent, the highest monthly mark of his 12-year career.
Meanwhile, Curry shot 51.8 percent overall, 46.6 percent on three-pointers and 90.8 percent on free throws in April, easily entering the coveted 50/40/90 shooting club even though he has increasingly stepped out to behind 30 feet to launch over defenses that are doing whatever they can to stop him. He has hit 31 shots from 30 or more feet this season, ranking second only to Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (34).
Shots from 30 or more feet
from the hoop in 2020-21
Made
Attempted
Damian Lillard
34
103
Stephen Curry
80
31
Trae Young
25
66
Fred VanVleet
9
31
Luka Doncic
23
7
Davis Bertans
21
7
Donovan Mitchell
17
7
Kyrie Irving
14
7
Immanuel Quickley
18
7
Shots from 30 or more feet
from the hoop in 2020-21
Made
Attempted
Damian Lillard
34
103
Stephen Curry
80
31
Trae Young
25
66
Fred VanVleet
9
31
Luka Doncic
23
7
Davis Bertans
21
7
Donovan Mitchell
17
7
Kyrie Irving
14
7
Immanuel Quickley
18
7
Shots from 30 or more feet from the hoop in 2020-21
Made
Attempted
34
103
80
31
25
66
9
31
23
7
21
7
17
7
14
7
18
7
Shots from 30 or more feet from the hoop in 2020-21
Made
Attempted
34
103
80
31
25
66
9
31
23
7
21
7
17
7
14
7
18
7
Shots from 30 or more feet from the hoop in 2020-21
Made
Attempted
34
103
80
31
25
66
9
31
23
7
21
7
17
7
14
7
18
7
“It looks like the rim is about the size of an ocean, literally, a couple of those ones he hit tonight,” Draymond Green said after Curry hit from well beyond the arc multiple times against the Kings. “It’s been incredible to watch. The leadership, the demeanor that he’s taken onto the floor each and every night to give guys to follow, that example that he’s setting, his scoring is just a byproduct of that.”
Every Curry made three-pointer
in 2020-21
In a darker blue, three-pointers in April
For the season Curry is shooting 42.6 percent
on three-pointers.
In April that went up to 46.6 percent.
206
Attempts
179
174
96
Made
75
75
63
44
24
14
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
Every Curry made three-pointer in 2020-21
In a darker blue, three-pointers in April
For the season Curry is shooting 42.6 percent
on three-pointers.
In April that went up to 46.6 percent.
206
Attempts
179
174
96
Made
75
75
63
44
24
14
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
Every Curry made three-pointer in 2020-21
In a darker blue, three-pointers in April
For the season Curry is shooting 42.6 percent on three-pointers.
In April that went up to 46.6 percent.
206
Attempted
179
174
96
Made
75
75
63
44
24
14
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
[The NBA Coach of the Year field has a little something for everyone]
Despite their two-time MVP’s strong closing push, the Warriors went 8-8 in April and lost to the Toronto Raptors by 53 points in the one game that he missed. Golden State (31-32), which appears poised to claim a play-in spot in the West, is probably too reliant upon its superstar to make real noise in the playoffs.
Even so, Curry’s blitz has dramatically improved his position in the award races. He should find himself on the all-NBA first or second team despite the Warriors’ middling performance, and he could land in the top five of MVP voting for the fourth time.
“I got to be,” Curry said coyly on a Basketball News podcast last week when asked whether he is the deserving MVP winner. “I probably won’t get it, but whatever. I like to be dramatic sometimes, so I’m just setting the table.”
Where the rest of the Curry era goes in Golden State remains a matter of debate. Klay Thompson’s return from back-to-back season-ending injuries should provide a boost next season, but a dramatic gamble in the trade market could be necessary to provide the Splash Brothers with enough help to climb back into title contention.
But those stressful hypotheticals can wait until the summer — or at least until after this latest round of marveling is complete.
“He’s never had a stretch quite like this, as good as he’s been,” Kerr said last week. “I think that’s what stands out about this season.”
Data from basketball-reference.com and NBA.com
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