Stephen Curry's Scoring Spree: Surpassing Paul Pierce and the Quest for the Top 12
In a thrilling display of basketball prowess, Stephen Curry has etched his name in the NBA's history books. With a pair of free throws in the fourth quarter on Sunday, January 25th, Curry surpassed John Havlicek and tied Paul Pierce on the all-time scoring list. This achievement came just a few days later, on Wednesday, January 28th, when Curry hit a stepback 3-pointer to eclipse Pierce's total of 26,397 points, propelling him into the 19th spot.
Curry's scoring prowess continued to shine as he recently passed Kevin Garnett for the 21st position on the all-time list, achieving this feat on December 29th against the Brooklyn Nets. If his current form and health persist, Curry could potentially leapfrog into the top 12 by the end of the season, surpassing legends like Tim Duncan, Dominique Wilkins, Oscar Robertson, and Hakeem Olajuwon.
January has been a remarkable month for Curry, averaging an impressive 24.4 points per game while shooting an exceptional 38.8% from beyond the arc. His ability to consistently score 35-plus points in regular-season games after turning 37 is truly remarkable. As of the latest update, Curry has achieved this feat 13 times, surpassing Michael Jordan's 12 such games. Only LeBron James has more of these high-scoring games in NBA history, with 38.
Curry's ninth 35-plus-point game of the season further cements his status as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history. This achievement comes just one season after James' record-breaking 14 such games in the 2022-23 season, showcasing Curry's continued dominance in the league.