LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Stephen Curry delivered a majestic 52-point performance as the Golden State Warriors clinched a crucial victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday while Nikola Jokic bagged a career-high 61 points in vain as Denver lost a double overtime thriller to Minnesota.
Curry, the National Basketball Association’s all-time leader in three-point shooting, looked poised to set the single-game three-point record in the Warriors’ 134-125 defeat of the Grizzlies in Memphis.
The 37-year-old finished with 12 three-pointers — just two shy of former teammate Klay Thompson’s record of 14 threes set in a single game against Chicago in 2018.
Curry’s dazzling display helped the Warriors vault over the Grizzlies into fifth place in the Western Conference standings, edging them closer to an automatic playoff berth.
The Warriors improved to 44-31 while the Grizzlies dropped to sixth place with a 44-32 record.
The top six finishers in the West qualify automatically for the postseason.
Curry’s masterpiece was his second 50-point game of the season and the 15th of his career, earning him lavish praise from Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
“The guy’s 37 years old, it’s incredible,” Kerr said. “Fifty-two points with people draped all over him all game long.”
“The conditioning, the skill, the audacity, the belief, it’s incredible to watch Steph at work.”
“I can’t believe he’s still doing this at this age. But he’s put the work in and he’s still got it.”
Ja Morant led the Grizzlies’ scoring with 36 points while Jaren Jackson Jr. added 22.
Golden State’s win was upstaged later on Tuesday by a spellbinding slugfest in Denver which saw the Timberwolves snatch a dramatic 140-139 win over Jokic and the Nuggets.
Jokic looked to have done enough to secure victory for Denver after stitching together his 31st triple-double of the season, comprising 61 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.