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via Imago

Tonight the NBA fraternity experienced an anomaly. A peculiar sight no one saw coming. For the first time in 268 regular season games, the mighty Stephen Curry failed to make a single three-pointer. Playing against the Portland Trail Blazers, Curry snapped his incredible streak a night after becoming the first player in history to hit 3500 triples. His grit was still alive. Even when encountering misses, he shot the ball with unparalleled confidence. Every second the ball was in the air, fans felt one would surely fall. But it just wasn’t his night.

The streak was one only capable for a man with the shooting prowess of the ‘greatest three pointer scorer’ of all-time. No one came close, nor will anyone rival the same streak anytime soon. Despite the mass increase in three-pointers, finding such a degree of success for over 268 games is no joke, almost baffling to comprehend.

However, there is another streak that does rival Curry’s. One that has a similar shocking effect when wrapping your head around it. Ironically, it’s a man born in the same hospital as Steph, and one who is a close acquaintance in his NBA journey – LeBron James.

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His run of scoring over 10 points in every game has now extended to a number that makes it sound fabricated. Yet, it remains true. So whose is the tougher one?

Reliving the moment Curry’s streak ended

Let’s start with Stephen Curry. Long heralded as the greatest marksman of all time. His shooting superiority changed the landscape forever. He brought about a revolution. Actually, he remains the spearhead of the three-point era even decades after unraveling the threat of volume shooting.

Before tonight’s contest, the two-time MVP last went a whole regular season game without a three back in 2018 in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. That night he only shot the triple four times, unable to convert any of those attempts.

Since that day, no matter how terrible a shooting night, how sloppy a game, or how preposterous a performance, he always hit a three until today. Curry stans glared in dismay watching their hero have only six points entering the fourth quarter. He finished the night with 7.

“I was very aware…when you don’t make one you definitely feel it. I definitely care because I wanted to see how far I can stretch it. Obviously now start another one.” said Curry after the streak came to an end.

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While it was a Curry failure, the Golden State Warriors saw some vintage performances. While their titan suffered a slump, Andrew Wiggins and Klay Thompson came to the rescue, each scoring over 20, a rare sight when we speak about this season. Wiggins in particular was finding himself almost desperately. After being demoted to the bench, it seems his esteem took a hit.

He led the way with 25 points on marvelous efficiency bringing a smile to Steve Kerr’s face.

‘Vintage Andrew. That looks like the guy I know… thought Andrew was absolutely brilliant.” he told 95.7 The Game.

All in all, it was a night of horror for Stephen Curry but one that might just have revived the Warriors.

The absurdity of Stephen Curry

If we talk about the record alone, it is one that the numbers don’t do justice to. No wonder 268 games sound immense. But when you put it in finer terms, the record becomes almost untouchable. It is more than three whole seasons of making a single three every game. Let’s take it a step further.

From the current streak of players making a three every game, Damian Lillard leads the pack with 101. Even if we combine him and the next four in contention, it won’t amount to the games Curry was able to sustain the feat. They all fail to beat Curry by 16 games.

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It underscores the depth of what Stephen Curry was able to achieve. It is unprecedented and most likely a streak that won’t be emulated ever again.

LeBron James has never looked back

Now coming to LeBron James’ record. The timeless phenom who continues to develop at an age most pros are sitting on cozy couches and remembering their glorious careers has a streak that still breathes. The King has scored at least 10 points in a game for more than 1100 nights. That’s right, 1100.

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He took his count to 1152 after scoring in double digits in the first half of the season opener against the Denver Nugget. So far, 10 points look like child’s play for the grown man. LeBron James is simply equipped with all the tools for him to score. He has the body of a freak, still surging with the desire to play. He takes immeasurable care of his body. His strength is still close to peak. It allows him to bully defenders and charge at the rim.

If that doesn’t work, his bursts of speed and sudden movements allow him to create separation. And above all, if he has hit shot going, that is when the four-time MVP is at his most dangerous as a scorer. He becomes a killing machine ready to devour his opponents and leave them helpless and beaten.

READ MORE-What Did Stephen Curry Say about Scoot Henderson After Their “One of a Kind” Alliance?

It’s been over a decade since the last time his arsenal failed to deliver. In 2007, he scored just 8 points. Coincidentally enough, it was against the Bucks itself.

Since that day, James vowed to never fall as miserably again, and so he didn’t.

Who’s streak is better?

Debating which streak is more impressive is a challenging, rather brain-teasing task. At one end is Curry who scored from the furthest distance while being the most targetted marksman in those games for 268 straight contests. Then there is LeBron James, who isn’t primarily a scorer but still holds a record rivaling the best of scorers.

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If it were up for a pick, one just can’t overlook what James is still doing. He’s gone through every stage of his basketball life. From a young pup who had the legs to jump out of gyms to now a wise veteran who finds loopholes to stay at that level. For 18 years, no one has been able to shut off James from getting to that 10-point mark.

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On first look, it sounds easy, but it is far from it. Let’s take Stephen Curry as an example. He scored less than 10 while playing over 30 minutes twice just last season. Among active players, Kevin Durant came closest to the record. A four-time scoring champion and regarded as one of the craftiest scorers of all time, even he exhausted after 562 games.

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In the case of James, he has doubled the mark and is increasing his record to this day. We still don’t know when he will slow down as an NBA player. Only when he reaches that point, maybe his lowest is when the streak might break. Hence, the crown deserves to rest on the head of King James.