Stephen Curry’s heroics not enough as Warriors fall to Hawks despite record-breaking night
Curry sets new NBA record, but Hawks hold on to stun Warriors
Stephen Curry became the NBA's all-time 3-point leader on Tuesday night, but it wasn’t enough to lift his Golden State Warriors to victory as they fell 121-110 to the Atlanta Hawks. Curry hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter to surpass Ray Allen's previous record of 2,973 made 3s. The crowd at Madison Square Garden, where Curry broke the record, erupted in a standing ovation. Curry finished the game with 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists. Klay Thompson added 21 points for the Warriors, and Jordan Poole chipped in 19 points. Trae Young led the Hawks with 33 points and 11 assists, while John Collins added 28 points and 12 rebounds. The Warriors led by as many as 14 points in the second half, but the Hawks chipped away at the lead and eventually took the lead for good with less than 5 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Young hit a jumper to give the Hawks a 113-110 lead, and the Warriors were unable to score again. The loss snapped the Warriors' three-game winning streak and dropped them to 43-20 on the season. The Hawks improved to 33-29 with the win.
Curry's record-breaking night
Curry's record-breaking 3-pointer came with 7:33 remaining in the third quarter. He was fouled on the play by Kevin Huerter, but he made the free throw to give the Warriors a 86-78 lead. Curry finished the game 8-of-21 from the field, including 7-of-14 from 3-point range. He also hit all four of his free throws. Curry's record-breaking performance comes in his 13th NBA season. He is a two-time MVP and has led the Warriors to three NBA championships. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest shooters in NBA history.
The Warriors' struggles
The Warriors have struggled in recent weeks, losing four of their last six games. They have been plagued by injuries, with Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala all missing significant time. The Warriors' defense has also been a problem, as they have allowed opponents to score at least 120 points in four of their last six games. The Hawks shot 51.4% from the field on Tuesday night, including 46.7% from 3-point range. The Warriors will need to find a way to improve their defense if they want to make a deep run in the playoffs.
The Hawks' resurgence
The Hawks have been one of the hottest teams in the NBA in recent weeks, winning seven of their last eight games. They have been led by Young, who has averaged 29.1 points and 10.1 assists per game during that stretch. The Hawks have also gotten solid contributions from Collins, who has averaged 21.4 points and 10.3 rebounds per game during the team's winning streak. The Hawks are now in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings, and they are just 2.5 games out of fifth place.
