MEMPHIS — Steph Curry has almost every meaningful NBA 3-point record, but his former teammate Klay Thompson took one from him back in October of 2018. Thompson made 14 3s against the Chicago Bulls, eclipsing Curry’s previous single-game NBA record of 13 in 2016.
It’s something Curry covets enough that even he could admit it popped into his mind midway through Wednesday night’s third quarter in Memphis. On a serious heater, Curry hit his 11th 3 of the night with 18 minutes still left and the game tied at 91. Fourteen was within reach and the competitiveness of the game meant he’d play a majority of the fourth quarter.
This could be the night, he thought.
“First two shots I took in the fourth quarter were a reflection of that,” Curry said. “First touch, shot it in transition. Then went iso left wing. Missed both of those and then I kinda came to reality. Those were the ultimate heat checks even though I just got back in the game.”
Curry even tapped his chest and issued an apology toward his bench after the second attempt. He’d briefly been caught up in an individual chase. The two misses reminded him there was something more immediate at stake: the fifth seed.
The Warriors were in the mix because of Curry’s three-quarter detonation. He finished with 52 points and 12 made 3s. But they pulled away from the Grizzlies late because of several key plays from others, winning 134-125, leaping a half-game ahead of the Grizzlies for the fifth seed, clinching the head-to-head tiebreaker and giving them inside position to escape the dreaded Play-In Tournament bracket.
Steph Curry had a chance at Klay’s 14 3s tonight if he stayed hot late. Finished 12-of-20.
“First two shots I took in the fourth quarter were a reflection of that. I thought about it.”
Plus he reflects on passing Jerry West on all-time scoring list pic.twitter.com/p4YIRc1AwS
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 2, 2025
Curry was the story. He had 19 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in the first 10 minutes. He had 32 points by halftime. After his eighth made 3 late in the second quarter, Steve Kerr turned around to the scorer’s table and gave a marveled look of disbelief.
“The guy is 37 years old,” Kerr said. “Incredible. Fifty-two points with people draped all over him all game long. The conditioning. The skill. The audacity. The belief. It’s just incredible to watch Steph at work.”
His final line: 52 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and five steals. Rick Barry is the only other player in history to put up those stats in a single game. Curry also passed Jerry West on the all-time scoring list, an accomplishment he said got him “emotional” postgame because of his relationship with West’s family and understanding of West’s place in basketball history.
Curry spent Monday morning and afternoon on a golf course in San Antonio. He spent his Tuesday morning with a longer-than-usual post shootaround routine at the arena in downtown Memphis. Draymond Green said he could tell Curry was locked in and “rejuvenated” after missing a week recently. Curry said he could tell his jumper was on after shooting it well in the morning.
“I think (the week off) helped and I think two rounds of golf on this road trip helped,” Kerr said.
Curry is wearing a custom-made pad protecting his sore tailbone and pelvic area. He said it’s something he’ll need to wear until at least the end of the regular season. He wore it after suffering a hairline fracture back in 2021, so he’s used to how it feels and isn’t impacting his movement or rhythm.
Steve Kerr on Steph Curry: “I think (the week off) helped and I think two rounds of golf on this road trip helped.” pic.twitter.com/CsztpOudDq
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) April 2, 2025
But Curry needed help to close the Grizzlies and vault the Warriors into the fifth spot, their highest positioning in the standings since way back on Dec. 14 when they were 14-10.
Jimmy Butler made two of the biggest plays of the game. With just under two minutes left, Butler leaped for a tipped pass, took two dribbles into the lane and threw up an exaggerated pump fake that baited Jaren Jackson Jr. into jumping for the block.
Jackson was terrific when on the floor on Wednesday night, but had trouble avoiding cheap fouls, picking up two cheap ones in the first quarter, a bad fifth one in the fourth quarter and then a sixth when Butler baited him and then jumped into his chest.
“He’s too good to still be getting in foul trouble,” Green said. “A couple of those he picked up, he can stay away from those. It’s time for him to take that next step in that department.”
Here’s the Butler bait. It earned him two free throws. Butler made both. He went 12-of-12 at the line en route to 27 points. The Warriors went 28-of-28 from the line as a team. More importantly for the Warriors in crunch time, Jackson fouled out for the final two minutes. Here is Butler drawing him into it and then Green waving him goodbye.
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On the ensuing offensive possession, Curry missed what would’ve been his career-high tying 13th made 3 and a potential dagger. But Brandin Podziemski, who didn’t have a great game but arrived at a crucial moment, flew in for a right-handed putback to put the Warriors up five.
https://static01.nyt.com/athletic/uploads/wp/2025/04/02021721/podtip.mp4
The Warriors needed one more stop to seal the win. Ja Morant, who had 36 points knifing past the Warriors’ lack of point of attack defense all night, went at Butler on a switch in space. The Warriors’ new veteran wing tracked him to the rim, shut off the airspace for a layup and stole his panic pass with the left end.
“The trade saved our season,” Kerr said. “Everybody knows that.”
Here’s the steal.
https://static01.nyt.com/athletic/uploads/wp/2025/04/02010327/JimmyStl.mp4
The Timberwolves won in overtime late Tuesday night in Denver, keeping the race below the Warriors tight as the final two weeks arrive. They still have an outside shot to climb past the Lakers or Nuggets into the fourth or third seed if they beat both on Thursday and Friday night and get some help, but that’s asking a ton, especially without the tiebreaker against either.
Here’s how it currently stands.
- 3. Nuggets: 47-29
- 4. Lakers: 46-29
- 5. Warriors: 44-31
- 6. Grizzlies: 44-32
- 7. Timberwolves: 44-32
- 8. Clippers: 43-32
(Photo: Joe Murphy / NBAE via Getty Images)
