All eyes were on Stephen Curry tonight, as he entered Madison Square Garden to make history. Curry was expected to break Ray Allen’s three-point record against the Knicks last night, and did so, thus creating a moment that will never be forgotten. Also in attendance were two other legends who became famous for their shooting.
Ray Allen and Reggie Miller were at MSG to watch Stephen Curry break the record. Miller was calling the game for TNT, whereas Allen was in the stands.
Before the game, the legendary shooting duo spoke to Inside The NBA about who they think is the greatest shooter of all time. Both players took the humble route, not naming themselves in their answers. Allen looked to the past and those who inspired him, whereas Miller said that night was about giving Curry his flowers (1:21 onwards).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqWugesdnUc
Allen: “Well, I always take myself out of that conversation because I can only see what I’ve been able to watch growing up as a young person. Dell Ellis, Dell Curry, and Reggie sit at the top of my list. And I had the opportunity to play against and play with Dell Curry, Dell Ellis, and against all three with Reggie in the fold. I’m who I am because of those three players, and I would never try to even say that I was at the level that they are because I think those guys are part of my DNA.”
Miller: “I think shooting is very subjective, everyone’s personal favorites. We’ve all approached this game a little bit different. I think tonight is all about Stephen and we’re here to give him his flowers because I think there’s only two guys that kinda understand what has gone into the making, in my opinion the greatest shooter of all time, the hard work… That’s Stephen Curry, that’s Ray Allen, that’s Larry Bird and that’s a lot of these other guys. It’s very subjective. A lot of people like to class us and group us all together. We’re all different and we respect one another. If there was a shooting contest or something like that, all in our prime, of course our competitive natures will come out. But tonight is the night for Stephen Curry and his flowers.”
Both Allen and Miller have spoken very highly about Stephen Curry in the past, and have even dubbed him the greatest shooter of all time, years before he ever came close to surpassing the records set by both of these men during their careers.
Allen: It’s easy for me to say he’s the best Ive ever seen shoot, and I’ve seen some great shooters… I really put him in a category all of his own
Millers: Steph is a lot like Wilt and Shaq and Jordan, Iverson. They changed things. They changed how the game was percieved and play.
Source: SportingNews
Clearly, neither player wanted to take away from Stephen Curry and his moment. It was a big night for him, and they wanted to make sure that it was about him. At the same time, both players were careful not to put themselves on that list, showing how much respect they have for the game.
Both players met Curry before and after the game, and the trio shared a moment together. After the game, they presented Stephen Curry with a special jersey with 2974 on it, signifying him as the new record holder for the NBA.
