Stephen Curry Is Closing In on Another NBA Record: Can He Make History This Season?

Stephen Curry continues his pursuit of the NBA's all-time scoring record for point guards.

Stephen Curry NBA Record: The Race to Surpass Russell Westbrook

The record Stephen Curry is chasing has finally stopped moving.

Russell Westbrook retired in August with 27,176 career points, the most by any point guard in NBA history, after he passed Oscar Robertson’s 26,710 in January. Curry has 26,528. Subtract, and the gap is 648, so he needs 649 to go past Westbrook. The figure holds up. The Stephen Curry NBA record chase now looks increasingly achievable if he stays healthy.

The maths is kind to him. Last season Curry averaged 26.6 points a game. At that rate, 649 points takes 25 games. At his career average of 24.8, it takes 27. Even if he slows to 20 a night, he gets there in 33, well under half a season. Playing every game, he would cross the line around mid-December.

Can Curry Stay Healthy Enough to Make History?

Curry's health remains a key factor in determining how quickly he can reach the scoring milestone.

So the real question is his health. Last season a right knee problem, diagnosed as patellofemoral pain syndrome, kept him out for more than two months, and he played only 43 games as the Warriors missed the playoffs at 37–45. Even so, those 43 games produced 1,142 points, almost double what he needs now. At his usual scoring, he would have to miss 55 or more of the 82 games to fall short.

The early signs are good, but not guaranteed. Curry, 38 and turning 39 in March, says the knee feels great, and he signed a two-year, $116 million extension in late September. Still, the Warriors are limiting his preseason minutes, and he cut back his offseason training. Jimmy Butler, recovering from a torn ACL, is projected back around Christmas, so Curry will likely carry much of the scoring. More shots help the total. More minutes test the knee.

Why Breaking Westbrook’s Record Would Be Significant

Curry's unprecedented three-point shooting has helped redefine modern NBA basketball.

Westbrook finishes 14th on the all-time scoring list, and Curry, now 19th, would move past him in about 1,095 games. That is roughly 200 fewer than the 1,301 Westbrook played. The record would also carry extra weight because of how Curry got there. His 4,248 made threes are an NBA record, more than 800 clear of James Harden in second place. Long threes that once looked like bad shots are now standard offences across the league.

So is it realistic? Yes. The numbers point to December if he is healthy, and even a bumpy year should be enough. What could stop it is a second long absence, and that is exactly what the Warriors are managing every minute.