Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry shoots over Chicago Bulls guard Ryan Arcidiacono during the … [+] first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Monday, March 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Steph Curry wanted to be drafted by the Knicks coming out of Davidson College.

Now he's within two 3-pointers of becoming the NBA's all-time leader in that category — and he can break the record against the Knicks on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Curry now stands at 2,972 career 3-pointers, one shy of Ray Allen's all-time mark of 2,973. He shot 5-of-15 from deep and had 26 points as the Warriors beat the Pacers, 102-100, Monday night in Indiana.

"I'm just blessed, man," he told Dennis Scott of the NBA Network. "I know how much work's gone into this and it'll happen when it happens but I'm just happy to play the game that I love, play it at a high level. I respect all the great shooters that have come through the league, yourself included. And just enjoy the moment because it's been a long time coming in terms of something I've been keying on for a while."

It seems fitting that Curry is now poised to break the record on the grand stage of Madison Square Garden. His second highest-scoring game ever came when he poured in 54 points against the Knicks on Feb. 27, 2013. His career-high of 62 came last Jan. 3 against Portland.

Curry, 33, was the No. 7 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, the year the Knicks had the No. 8 pick and chose Arizona forward Jordan Hill.

"I wanted to go to New York and thought I was going to New York," the three-time NBA champion said last year on Showtime's "All the Smoke" with Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes,. "At the draft — in the green room — like, 'Oh, get to the eight spot and New York can get me.'

"And then I got the call from (then-Warriors GM) Larry Riley, like 'We're going to pick you in the seventh spot.'"

Curry landed with the Warriors and evolved into the greatest shooter in NBA history, winning three titles along the way. The Warriors are now 22-5 and among the favorites to win their fourth NBA title.

The Knicks, meantime, have dropped six of seven and stand at 12-15.

Curry can now hand the Knicks even more heartbreak while thrilling Garden fans on the same night.

"Let's be honest," he told Scott, "there's a lot of hype around this record."

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