The Warriors set another 3-point record in a romp over the Mavs
The Golden State Warriors are well established as the most prolific three-point shooting team in NBA history, but that hasn’t stopped their pursuit of every related record in the books. Stephen Curry’s incredible 13 three-pointers in Monday’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans was one of the best moments yet, a new mark for most threes by one player in a single game and a personal statement coming right after Curry’s record 157-game run of at least one three-pointer had ended. This team and these players offer the chance for a historic moment every time they take the court.
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Wednesday’s visit from the Dallas Mavericks saw Golden State follow through on that promise yet again. The Warriors made 17-of-33 three-pointers in a 116-95 blowout, with teammates Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green all making four apiece. That had never happened before:
Per @EliasSports, the Warriors are the first team in NBA history to have four different players hit four three-pointers in the same game
— Warriors PR (@WarriorsPR) November 10, 2016
The damage was mostly done in the first half. Klay Thompson started very hot by scoring 18 of his eventual 20 points in the opening quarter, shooting 4-of-5 from deep and 7-of-8 overall to out-core Dallas by three on his own. Curry, Durant, and Green all added two threes each in the second quarter, opening up a ridiculous 67-36 lead at the break. The Warriors shot 14-of-20 from beyond the arc in the half and would have tied their own record for most threes in a half had Curry nailed a decent look on their last possession.
The Mavericks took advantage of the Warriors’ more relaxed attitude and momentarily made it a game in a 32-17 third quarter. Ex-Warrior Harrison Barnes showed well in this stretch, scoring 15 of his team-high 25 points after the break. Both Barnes and the resting Andrew Bogut received warm welcomes from Warriors fans who had cheered them during their four seasons with the team. Apparently Bogut’s thoughts on the two-faced nature of the NBA did not faze them.
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Yet the third period was perhaps more notable for a scary moment involving Curry, who tweaked his ankle while guarding his brother Seth:
Thankfully, Curry returned later to help end what was always an improbable comeback, and a few strong minutes from Kevin Durant (28 points on 10-of-16 FG with 10 boards) in the fourth quarter finished the job. While the game didn’t go so well for Seth (10 points on 4-of-17 FG), he at least had the chance to start against his brother for the first time in his career.
The Warriors must face the always tough second game of a back-to-back in the high altitude of the Denver Nuggets. We will have to see if the thin air leads to another record, although there remain fewer to claim with every new day.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at efreeman_ysports@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
