Steph Curry entered tonight’s game at the Wells Fargo Center needing 10 3s to claim the NBA’s all-time record.
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Curry is about to break Ray Allen’s record for 3s (2,973) and tonight in Philadelphia against his brother Seth, all eyes were on the two-time MVP to light things up from beyond the arc.
MORE: Curry closing in on Ray Allen’s all-time 3-point record | Ranking of the best 3-point shooters in NBA history
However, Matisse Thybulle had other ideas.
The Australian winger took on the task of stopping Curry and closed every inch of space, keeping him just 18 points behind on 6 of 20 shots from the field and 3 of 14 from 3-point range.
From the jump, Thybulle had him scrambling for space as he used his length and athleticism to blow up pick-and-rolls and disrupt passing lanes, choking the Warriors star on the perimeter with an iron determination not to break. the record on his watch, in front of his local fans.
“It was no secret that you are looking for this album right now, Jo [Embiid] and I spoke up today during target practice and he said we won’t allow that to happen at our house so I took care to make sure it didn’t happen, “Thybulle said after the game.
Matisse Thybulle held Stephen Curry to 2 of 13 shots as the main defense on Saturday, including 1 of 9 from beyond the arc.
Thybulle also became the first player to block multiple 3-point attempts by Curry in a single game. pic.twitter.com/SCbXmV2y3S
– ESPN statistics and information (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 12, 2023
Thybulle limited Curry to just 1 of 6 shots in the first quarter and, early in the second, marked his authority in the contest, blocking Curry’s 3-point attempt on the left wing, recovering the ball for a 76ers possession. in the same movement. .
The blockade … or the recovery of Matisse Thybulle?@sixers 31@Warriors 26
2Q on ABC pic.twitter.com/mqO3z3sjZ3
– NBA (@NBA) December 12, 2023
Thybulle’s tenacity on the defensive end caught him in foul trouble, picking up his third with 2:26 left in the second quarter. It’s no wonder Curry seizes the opportunity without Thybulle on the court to score eight quick points to close out the period.
Burst of curry to end the first half. 🔥
10 points in the final 2:41 for Steph to put the @Warriors at the break on ABC!#Currywatch: 8 three of the story pic.twitter.com/TMVzetGkp1
– NBA (@NBA) December 12, 2023
Once the third quarter resumed, it was pretty much the same for Thybulle. How many players are blocking not one, but two 3-point attempts by Curry? As Kirk Goldsberry pointed out, Thybulle is the first player to do so in the same game.
Tisse said no today. ❌ pic.twitter.com/Tbd1Kl4Hdz
– Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 12, 2023
Thybulle got his fourth early in the third quarter but kept playing through the second half, not letting foul problems slow him down on the defensive end.
MORE: Curry, a ‘once-in-a-lifetime basketball player,’ says Lakers star LeBron James
“I’ve been at this since he got here, I think he has a chance to be Defensive Player of the Year so he showed it tonight,” Embiid said of Thybulle’s defensive effort.
“The way he protected Steph, I hadn’t seen him in a long time, so there you have it, that’s the guy.”
The 102-93 loss for the Warriors is only the fifth of the season, with 93 points being their lowest score of the season and only the second time they have stayed below 100 points in 2023-22, a further testament to defensive resistance. effort by the 76ers, who finished the game on a 41-20 streak.
Embiid led the 76ers with 26 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals as they improved to 15-12 on the season and 5-3 since returning to the lineup.
Meanwhile, for Curry, history will have to wait as he only needs seven more triples to pass Allen, with his next game against the Indiana Pacers on Monday, December 13 (ET).