It only makes sense that Stephen Curry almost certainly will break the NBA record for made 3-pointers in league history at Madison Square Garden, The Mecca of Basketball, but it may serve as a brutal reminder for the New York Knick fans in attendance.
Curry, after all, was one draft spot away from potentially landing in New York — if the organization selected him, of course. Curry playing half his games under the bright New York lights would have made the Knicks much more interesting over the past 13 seasons. The three-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP and seven-time All-NBA talent probably could’ve even kept James Dolan out of the headlines.
The Warriors, you may remember, selected Curry sixth in the 2009 NBA Draft with the Knicks holding the No. 7 overall pick. The Knicks used their first-rounder on Arizona forward Jordan Hill, which adds another hurtful piece to the story. Hill last played in the league in 2017, the fourth consecutive year Curry was named a league All-Star.
Now, Curry (2,972 career 3-pointers) is just two away from re-writing Ray Allen’s all-time record (2,973).
Fortunately for the Knicks, they’re far from the only team that feels that way, but the ironic circumstances make it notable.
The Minnesota Timberwolves probably live with that second-guess every day, too. Minnesota drafted Ricky Rubio at No. 5 overall and Jonny Flynn with the next pick. Flynn played three seasons in the league. Additionally, the Memphis Grizzlies had No. 2 overall pick Hasheem Thabeet for just two of his five seasons in the league. Blake Griffin and James Harden are the only two players picked before Curry to earn All-Star nods.
Curry, of course, could not set the record against the Knicks on Tuesday. If not, Curry and the Warriors travel to play the Boston Celtics on Friday. It’s probably worth noting, though, that the seven-time All-Star enters Tuesday having made at least one three-pointer in 151 straight regular-season games.
Warriors-Knicks is set to tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden.
