After an 0-2 start to the season, it wasn't panic stations just yet, but the message was clear from Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
“We need to win...immediately,” Curry said after their second defeat.
Staring down the barrel of their third-straight loss, trailing 128-126 against the Chicago Bulls with 5.0 seconds remaining, the Dubs pulled a rabbit out of the hat against thanks to Damion Lee's deep 3-pointer to give them their first win of the season.
With the defence draped over Curry, Lee got free to bury his fourth triple of the night, finishing with 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting from deep.
🔥 DAMION LEE WINS IT FOR THE @WARRIORS! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SxmewF4DKR
— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2020
A day after setting Twitter alight with his video from practice showing him drilling 105 straight threes, Cury brought that energy to Chicago, piling up 36 points, six assists, two steals, and two blocks, shooting 11-of-25 from the field and 5-of-15 from the 3-point line.
In the process, he added his name to the record books, becoming just the third player in NBA history — and the fastest — to reach 2,500 career 3-pointers, joining Ray Allen (2,973) and Reggie Miller (2,560).
With 2,504 triples to his name, Curry needs just 57 more threes to pass Miller on the list.
Congrats to @StephenCurry30 of the @warriors for becoming the third player in NBA history to make 2,500 three-pointers! pic.twitter.com/za234UejBX
— NBA (@NBA) December 28, 2020
The closest active player behind Curry is James Harden (2,330), followed by J.J. Redick (1,891), LeBron James (1,881), Klay Thompson (1,798), and Damian Lillard (1,781) who all featured in the top 20.
He wasn't done there though.
After making his first six free throws, he extended his streak to 61 straight makes at the charity stripe, setting a new franchise record, overtaking Rick Barry who made 60 consecutive free throws in 1976.
With his 6th free throw of the night, Stephen Curry has now made 61 straight free throws dating back to March 27, 2019 against the Grizzlies.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 28, 2020
That passed Rick Barry (60 straight in 1976) for the longest streak in Warriors history. pic.twitter.com/PMNDbrvM1Y
With the win, the Warriors avoided their worst start to a season since 2007-08 and will look to continue that momentum when they take on the Detroit Pistons in their next game on Wednesday, Dec. 30.
"Just to get that first one [win] is huge," Curry said post-game.
"We talked about it all pre-season, to start this year we got a young group and a different group, and it's not going to look the same as years past, but just to get that monkey off your back, get a win, get some moral, have something to smile about, it means a lot.
"Just for us to kind of prove we have what it takes down the stretch to win a game like this and if we can start better in the first half defensively, shots will fall offensively, I'm not really worried, it's just defensively getting our chemistry. We're going to be in a lot of games, and then you got to win them like you did tonight."
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