Curry now 2 away, will chase 3s record at MSG

Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry finished with five 3-pointers in Monday’s 102-100 win over the Indiana Pacers, putting him on the doorstep of the NBA’s all-time record that he will now look to break Tuesday night on the league’s grandest stage — Madison Square Garden.

Curry was 5-for-15 from beyond the arc against the Pacers, giving him 2,972 3s for his career — one behind Ray Allen (2,973) and two away from sole possession of the record.

A near-sellout crowd was less interested in the result of the game than watching history. The crowd roared each time Curry lined up a 3, gasped when he’d drive to the basket and erupt each time he inched closer to the record. For the final 90 seconds, everyone inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse was on their feet.

Curry’s final 3 got the Warriors within 100-98 and he tied the score when he drove for a layup with 48.5 seconds left. Kevon Looney’s putback with 13.8 seconds left broke the tie and Indiana then turned it over.

Clearly, Curry and his teammates were pressing for the record — and the Pacers defense wanted to run the Warriors off the 3-point line every chance it could. The result: Golden State missed its first seven shots from beyond the arc before Curry finally ended the streak early in a 12-0 run that gave the Warriors a 39-36 lead midway through the second quarter.

It didn’t last long in this back-and-forth game in which Indiana led most of the way.

But Curry started heating up in the third quarter with his fourth 3 of the night to give Golden State a 79-78 lead. Indiana answered by closing the quarter on a 7-2 run and taking an 84-80 lead. The Pacers led the entire fourth — until Curry’s flurry followed by Looney’s decisive basket.

Curry finished the night with 26 points and also had six rebounds and six assists.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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