There’s never been anyone quite like Stephen Curry-and Sunday night was another reminder of why.
The Warriors may have come up short against the Trail Blazers, but Curry turned in a performance that once again defied logic, history, and just about every defensive scheme thrown his way. He poured in 48 points, and here’s the kicker: he did it while taking just four free throws. That’s not just impressive-it’s unprecedented.
With that outing, Curry now owns nine career games with at least 45 points while attempting fewer than five free throws. No one else in NBA history is even close.
Kobe Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar? They each did it three times.
That’s it. That’s the list.
Most 45-point games with under 5 free throw attempts:
- 9 - Stephen Curry
- 3 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
- 3 - Kobe Bryant
This stat might seem niche at first glance, but it speaks volumes about Curry’s unique brilliance. He doesn’t rely on drawing fouls or living at the line.
He doesn’t need to. What makes him so dangerous is his ability to dismantle a defense from 30 feet out-off the dribble, off the catch, off balance, with a hand in his face or not.
When he’s in rhythm, it’s less about how you guard him and more about how much damage he’s going to do before the buzzer sounds.
That kind of efficiency-scoring nearly 50 without many freebies at the stripe-is almost unheard of in today’s NBA, where high-scoring nights often come with double-digit free throw attempts. But Curry’s game is built differently. He stretches the floor in ways we’ve never seen, and when he gets going, he doesn’t just score-he warps the entire geometry of the court.
It’s also worth noting how rare this kind of scoring profile is among the all-time greats. Kobe had his share of jump-shooting nights later in his career, and Kareem’s iconic sky hook was nearly impossible to defend without fouling-but both of them still got to the line more often than not.
Curry, on the other hand, can drop 45-plus without even sniffing five free throw attempts. That’s not just skill-it’s surgical precision.
So yes, it’s a specific stat. But it’s also a window into what makes Curry so special.
He’s not just the greatest shooter of all time-he’s redefining how offense is played at the highest level. Even in a loss, he left fans and fellow players shaking their heads in disbelief.
Again.
At 35, Curry continues to put on shows that feel less like basketball games and more like performances. And every now and then, he drops a stat line that reminds us we’re watching something the league has never seen before-and may never see again.