Basketball player Stephen Curry broke the NBA record for career three-pointers when he netted his 2,974th shot from beyond the arc for Golden State Warriors in the game against New York Knicks this morning.
Arguably the greatest shooter of all time, Curry surpassed the coveted NBA record held by Ray Allen, who was in the crowd at the Madison Square Garden to witness the historic moment.
A sold-out crowd waited eagerly for the 33-year-old point guard to create history. Those in the crowd included Curry's father and former NBA player Dell Curry, who embraced his son after breaking the record, as did Curry's teammates, coaches and opponents.
Curry entered the game just one three-pointer short of Allen's record and he passed the mark in the first quarter with a trademark step back and shot from 28 feet out. He let out a roar as the Warriors called a timeout and his teammates rushed to congratulate him.
The Warriors won the game 105-96 with Curry top-scoring for his side with 22 points, three assists and three rebounds. After failing to reach the playoffs last year, GSW currently lead the Western Conference table 28 games into the season.
Curry is currently averaging 27 points a game and is keenly waiting for the return of his buddy and Warriors star Klay Thompson, who has missed two full seasons because of an injury.
“He has totally changed the game of basketball as we know it,” said Curry's long-time teammate Draymond Green after the game.
The two-time NBA MVP has played with the Warriors throughout his career, winning the championship thrice. He entered the league in 2009 as the seventh pick of the NBA draft that year.
Over the next decade, Curry changed the game with his dribbling and long-range shooting, turning the three-pointer into one of the most lethal weapons in the game, when it was previously a last-resort shot.
“He has revolutionised the way the game is played and continues to leave fans in awe with his amazing artistry and extraordinary shooting ability,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “We congratulate him on this historic achievement.”
“I think fans are attracted to him just because of his humility and his story and how hard he’s had to work, so from that standpoint it transcends sports somewhat,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said before the game.