J-Speaks: Chart Climbing Three-Point Shooters

Over this weekend, a two-time league MVP and three-time NBA champion a journey man sharp shooter climb up the NBA’s All-Time list for three-pointers made in a career. 

With five three-pointers in 11 tries on his way to 28 points in leading his team to a 146-109 win versus the Chicago Bulls (10-32) on Friday night, perennial All-Star two-time Kia MVP Stephen Curry of the back-to-back defending champion Golden State Warriors (28-14) moved into third place in NBA history on the all-time three-pointers made list with 2,285 triples made and counting, passing 20-year NBA champion Jason Terry (2,282), who played two decades with the Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Houston Rockets and Milwaukee Bucks. He now trails Hall of Famer of the Indiana Pacers and current NBA on TNT game color analyst Reggie Miller (2,560) and fellow Hall of Famer, who won two NBA championships with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat Ray Allen (2,973). 

Curry reached this milestone by connecting on back-to-back triples early in the third quarter. He saved the game ball and hopes to have it signed by Allen and Miller, who he called trendsetters when it come to their consistent marksmanship from three-point range. 

“They set the standard,” Curry, who reached third place playing in just 656 career regular-season games said to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke after the win. “Their careers are matched in terms of stretching the imagination of the three-point line and doing it consistently and having the longevity. So, it’s special to be right behind those guys.” 

“Obviously I want to continue that chase, putting together a long career but growing up-watching the game, I always looked to those two guys as guys that set the standard. So, to be right next to them is pretty special.” 

One night later at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, UT, journeyman sharp shooter Kyle Korver who had 16 points off the bench that night, hitting 4 for 8 from three-point range passed Terry to move into fourth place on the all-time threes made list at 2,284 and counting as the Jazz (23-21) won versus the Chicago Bulls (10-33) 110-102. 

Korver, who played 15 seasons in the league with the Philadelphia 76ers, Bulls, Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland Cavaliers and is in his second stint with the Jazz said to AT&T Sportsnet Rocky Mountain’s Kristen Kenney after the win about the milestone, “I’m just really grateful.” 

He added after being doused with water by teammate Donovan Mitchell via a water which happens frequently when a player hits a major team or league accomplishment, “I could never imagine playing this long and shooting these many shots and being on these great teams and playing for these great fans. So, it’s something that I’ll probably reflect on a little more later but just gonna try to keep on going.”

To put into context what Curry did on Friday night, Allen and Miller reached their total connections from three-point range 1,300 and 1,389 games respectfully. It took Terry and Korver to reach their totals from distance 1,410 games each respectably.     

For both Curry and Korver, their styles in which they achieved their connections from distance. 

For Curry he has made his three-point shots in a variety of ways and his range is unlimited. This is a man who has attempted triples when he gets over half court and it usually goes in. 

Curry has simply changed the NBA game. The Warriors ability to make three-point shots at a high clip during their championship run these past four-and-a-half seasons has made the other 29 teams feel that they is a necessity to have at least two prolific shooters on the floor at all times. On top of that, to have big men who can set screens and actually make contact as they are freeing up their teammates to make threes. 

“It’s a very rare gift and it’s something that not talked about enough with the three-point shooting they have,” former General Manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers, now NBATV studio analyst David Griffin said of the Warriors league-changing offense. “They actually execute screen setting better than every other team in the league.”  

To illustrate what Curry accomplished at the start of this weekend, Stephen’s father Dell, who is no a color analyst for the Charlotte Hornets on FOX Sports Southeast shot 40.2 from three-point range making 1,245 triples and he’s not the record holder in his own family. 

Steph’s fellow backcourt mate in All-Star Klay Thompson, whose father is two-time champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in the late 1980s Mychal Thompson is the top dog when it comes to three-point shooting in his family. 

Simply put when both players are on the floor, they make you as an opponent defend that entire part of the court because of their ability to make threes from any distance. 

In the case of Steph being a point guard when he crosses half court, he is basically within shooting range of the basket and his incredible dribbling ability can get to where ever he wants to go with the ball and more often than not does. 

Going back to the Jazz, they acquired Korver earlier this season to give them a floor spacer that can make their offense a lot better and he has done that. 

That was on full display on Saturday night as Mitchell really was able to not only score from the perimeter, making four threes, he got the free throw line 10 times making eight. 

The Jazz as a team despite making just 43.2 percent of their shots, were 16 for 45 from three-point range versus the Bulls. 

What took place in a 48-hour span in the NBA over the weekend were two of the best shooters to ever lace up their kicks on the hardwood move up the charts on the NBA’s all-time three-point list and who show now signs of slowing down. 

In a matter of possibly three seasons if not sooner, Curry, who holds the all-time single season mark for threes made will eventually catch Miller and Allen and become the all-time leader in threes made. 

When the 10-year veteran was asked by Burke what it would mean to him when he does reach No. 1, Curry said, “I’ll let you know when that happens.” 

In the case of Korver, who does not come with the superstar status of Curry, he is the kind of player that has been a great fit for all the teams he has played on and has played a vital role in their success. Not only has the 37-year-old brought the ability to strike a match from distance any time he is on the court but he brings a veteran presence and solid base of character that serves as a major connective tissue to all the teams he has played for. That has allowed him to play for as long as he has and be as effective as he has been. 

As former Jazz player and color analyst Thurl Bailey put it during the broadcast of Bulls versus Jazz on Saturday night, “It’s one thing to be a great player and really take your craft to another level at the age Kyle is at 37. But when you can combine that with being a class act that makes what he’s achieving so much better.” 

Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of www.nba.com/games/20190111/CHIGSW#/boxscore/recap; 1/12/19 8 a.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime,” presented by State Farm with Matt Winer, Sekou Smith, and David Griffin; 1/12/19 10 p.m. “Chicago Bulls versus Utah Jazz,” on AT&T Sportsnet Rocky Mountain with Craig Bolerjack, Thurl Bailey and Kristen Kenney;  www.nba.com/20190112/CHIUTA#/matchup/boxscore/recap; 1/13/19 7 a.m. edition of NBATV’s “Gametime,” presented by Kia with Chris Miles, David Griffin, and Brendan Haywood; https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_Korver; and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Terry.