Stephen Curry moved another rung up the NBA’s all-time scoring ladder Friday night, and he did it while helping the Warriors pull off a wild comeback against the Lakers.
Curry scored 31 points in Golden State’s 112-95 win over Los Angeles, pushing his career total to 26,674 and sending him past Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins for 18th on the league’s scoring list. He entered the night with 26,643 points, sitting 25 behind Wilkins’ 26,668. The next target ahead of him is Oscar Robertson, who finished with 26,710.
Curry’s night came with the usual shot-making flair. He hit eight of 14 from 3-point range and finished 11 of 23 overall, while also adding six assists and four rebounds. Over his last two games, he has scored 75 points.
The Warriors needed every bit of that production after digging a huge early hole. Luka Doncic came out firing, pouring in 21 first-quarter points as the Lakers raced to a 38-15 lead after one. Los Angeles pushed the margin to 25 early in the second quarter before Golden State’s bench started turning the game.
De’Anthony Melton and Georges Niang each knocked down second-quarter 3-pointers that helped the Warriors claw all the way back to even by halftime. Since the shot clock arrived in the 1954-55 season, no team had ever trailed by at least 23 after the first quarter and then been tied or ahead at the break.
Golden State’s reserves were the difference in the turnaround, outscoring the Lakers’ bench 50-7. Melton finished with 16 points, while Brandin Podziemski added 21 points and six assists.
Curry also delivered the game’s most memorable sequence in the third quarter. Isolated on the wing against Doncic, he used a dribble move that sent Doncic to the floor before burying a 3-pointer.
Doncic finished with 37 points in the loss.
The win was Golden State’s third straight after an 0-3 start, bringing the Warriors back to 3-3. They return home Sunday to face the Clippers.
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