SAN FRANCISCO — Stephen Curry made NBA history as the first player to reach 4,000 career 3-pointers during a dominant performance by the Golden State Warriors, who defeated the Sacramento Kings 130-104 on Thursday night. This win marked the Warriors’ sixth consecutive victory and their 11th win in 12 games.
The crowd erupted in applause when Curry achieved this milestone in the third quarter, with a special homage displayed on the arena’s big screen during a timeout. As Curry prepared to celebrate his 37th birthday, the renowned two-time NBA MVP needed just two 3-pointers coming into this game. This recent milestone followed his achievement last Saturday when he became the 26th player in NBA history to score 25,000 points. Curry ended the game with 11 points.
Curry’s first 3-pointer of the night came from the left wing with 5:35 remaining in the first quarter. Despite tight defense from Keegan Murray and DeMar DeRozan, Curry missed his second attempt from near the top of the arc after Draymond Green initially set the tone with the first six points via a pair of 3-pointers.
Jonathan Kuminga made a significant return, recovering from a right ankle injury that kept him out for 31 games, contributing 18 points while shooting 7-for-10. On the other side, DeRozan led the Kings with 23 points, as the team experienced their third straight loss, making it four in the last five games.
This victory was equally historic for Warriors’ head coach Steve Kerr, who equaled late Hall of Famer Al Attles for the most coaching wins in the Warriors franchise history with 557.
The Kings found themselves without C Domantas Sabonis, who was absent for a sixth consecutive game due to a strained left hamstring. For the Warriors, Jimmy Butler provided a solid performance with six points, seven assists, and five rebounds, improving the Warriors’ record to 13-2 with him on board.
Curry reached his 4,000th 3-pointer with a pivotal shot from the right wing following a pass from Moses Moody, with 8:19 on the clock in the third quarter. Overall, Curry went 2 for 6 from beyond the arc.
Continuing their strong shooting performance, the Warriors, who shot 51.2% from long range in their prior game, managed to go 22-for-39, translating to a 56.4% success rate from the 3-point line.
Looking ahead, the Kings will conclude a two-game road series against Phoenix on Friday night. Meanwhile, Golden State is set to continue their seven-game homestand against the New York Knicks on Saturday night.
