76ers Delay Curry's 3-Point Record Bid, Beat Warriors 102-93
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid had 26 points and nine rebounds and the Philadelphia 76ers delayed Stephen Curry's bid to break Ray Allen's career 3-point record in a 102-93 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Saturday night.
Curry scored 18 points and shot 3 of 14 from 3-point range to move within six of matching Allen's record. Curry's next shot at the record is Monday night at Indiana in the second game of a five-game trip. He needed nine 3s against the Sixers to tie Allen's mark of 2,973 regular-season 3s from 1996-2014.
Golden State dropped to 21-5, falling a half-game behind Phoenix for the NBA lead.
Curry had one 3 attempt blocked and he had an airball on another, and was largely shut down over 36 minutes by Matisse Thybulle. Curry was 6 of 20 from the floor and the Warriors were held under 100 points for the second time this season.
"I think the biggest thing is just to let it happen," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said before the game. "Ten 3s is a lot. It's more likely to happen if he's not focused on it than if he is. I think he knows he's just go to come out and play and we've got to get into a good rhythm offensively in the game. The record's going to happen at some point soon. No reason to force anything."
Sixers and Warriors fans both rooted for Curry to set the mark in Philadelphia. Fans held signs asking for the record — one read, "To 2,974 and Beyond" -- and they mobbed him for autographs after warmups on his way back to the locker room. Curry, of course, obliged and signed jerseys and cards, as one fan yelled, "Break the record, tonight, baby!"
The wait goes on.
Curry made only two in the first half and one in the fourth quarter.
Curry would have loved to set the career 3-pointer record at home. He needed 16 to set the record Wednesday against Portland Trail Blazers but hit six.
Embiid heard "MVP! MVP!" chants as he rallied the Sixers past the Warriors.
Just about every 3-point record in existence is owned by Curry, or soon will be.
Nobody has made more 3-pointers for one team, or in one season, or in one postseason. He already has passed Allen for the most 3s all time, when including playoffs.
Curry's best in one game is 13. He holds the NBA season mark with 402 in 2015-16 and has topped 300 four times in a career that dates to 2009 when he was drafted out of Davidson. He has played in 787 games, while Allen hit 2,973 over 1,3000 games when he retired in 2014.
Curry has hit double-digits in a game 23 times in his career.
REMEBER WHEN
Rivers and Kerr were both at the Feb. 10, 2011, game when Allen passed Reggie Miller for first on the 3-point list. Rivers coached Allen in Boston and Kerr called the game as a TNT broadcaster.
"There's just different eras. We didn't play that way," Rivers said. "We didn't take that many 3s and yet Ray was still able to get the record that he got with the way he played."
TIP-INS
Warriors: G Klay Thompson and C James Wiseman were assigned to the team's G League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors. Thompson missed the last two seasons with a torn left ACL and a torn right Achilles. .... Jordan Poole scored 23 points.
76ers: Curry played against his brother, 76ers guard Seth Curry, as he chased the record. Seth Curry scored 10 points and had the basket that made it 93-83 late in the game.
UP NEXT
76ers: At Memphis on Monday night.
Warriors: At Indiana on Monday night.
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