In a blistering display of scoring prowess, Stephen Curry lit up the Portland Trail Blazers for 48 points on Sunday, not only leading the Golden State Warriors to victory but also etching his name deeper into NBA history. In the process, Curry surpassed the legendary Michael Jordan for the most 40-point games after turning 30 years old. With this latest eruption, Curry now boasts 45 such games since his 30th birthday, edging out Jordan’s longstanding mark of 44.
This achievement cements Curry’s status as one of the greatest scorers in the twilight of his career. Here’s the updated leaderboard for 40-point games after turning 30:
- Stephen Curry: 45
- Michael Jordan: 44
- Damian Lillard: 31 T4. Kobe Bryant: 30 T4. James Harden: 30
- Larry Bird: 27 T7. LeBron James: 25 T7. Alex English: 25
- Rick Barry: 24 T10. Kevin Durant: 21 T10. Hakeem Olajuwon: 21
But Curry’s night wasn’t just about breaking records against legends of the past—it also pushed him further up the all-time ranks for career 40-point games. This was his 75th such performance overall, placing him ninth on the historical list. The all-time leaderboard for career 40-point games now looks like this:
- Wilt Chamberlain: 271
- Michael Jordan: 173
- Kobe Bryant: 122
- James Harden: 107
- Elgin Baylor: 88 T6. LeBron James: 79 T6. Allen Iverson: 79
- Oscar Robertson: 77
- Stephen Curry: 75
- Kevin Durant: 72
Curry’s Scoring Barrages Somehow Happening More Often
What’s even more astonishing is the frequency of Curry’s explosions this season. He’s topped 40 points four times in just 18 games, hitting that elite threshold once every 4.5 outings. Compare that to last year, when he managed only three 40-point games across 70 appearances, or two years ago with six in 74 games.
This hot streak harkens back to the 2020-21 season, when Curry was unstoppable, racking up 11 40-point games in 63 appearances. That year, he led the league with 32.0 points per game and finished third in MVP voting—all starting at age 32. Now, at 37, he’s somehow recapturing that magic.
Can He Keep This Up?
Skeptics might wonder if Curry can sustain this level of production at his age. But history offers some encouragement: LeBron James averaged 30.3 points in his age-37 season and 28.9 in his age-38 campaign. With Curry currently sitting at 29.6 points per game, it’s not unprecedented.
The key difference? James, at 6’9″, leverages his size and athleticism to score efficiently without burning out. Curry, a 6’2″ guard, relies on finesse, movement, and his unparalleled shooting stroke—demanding a different kind of endurance. Yet, defying logic, Curry shows no signs of fading. It doesn’t make sense that he’s performing like this at 37, but he’s proving he might extend this late-career prime for another season or two.
Unfortunately, individual brilliance isn’t translating to team success. The Warriors are a dismal 3-5 when Curry scores 34 or more points this season. Golden State desperately needs his heroics, but it’s not enough to lift them out of mediocrity. At 13-14 overall, they’re eerily reminiscent of that 2020-21 squad that missed the playoffs entirely—and they’re not trending upward. For Curry’s legacy to shine even brighter, the team around him will need to step up.