I remember sitting in my living room watching that historic game back in 2018, completely mesmerized by what was unfolding before my eyes. As someone who's studied basketball statistics for over fifteen years, I've witnessed countless records fall, but this particular performance felt different - it was like watching someone rewrite the rules of what we thought was possible in a single game. The answer to who holds the NBA record for most three-pointers in a game is Klay Thompson, who drained an incredible 14 three-pointers against the Chicago Bulls on October 29, 2018. That number still gives me chills when I think about it - fourteen shots from beyond the arc, each one swishing through the net with that beautiful sound that basketball purists live for.
What made Thompson's performance even more remarkable was the efficiency with which he achieved this record. He didn't just take a massive volume of shots and hope some would fall - he was methodical, precise, and absolutely surgical in his execution. Thompson finished that game 14-of-24 from three-point range, which translates to a staggering 58.3% shooting percentage from deep. In today's analytics-driven NBA where teams regularly attempt 40-50 threes per game, we might see players put up similar volume, but rarely with that level of accuracy. I've analyzed the shot charts from that game multiple times, and what stands out is how Thompson moved without the ball, how he found openings in the defense, and how he maintained perfect form even as fatigue potentially set in. His release remained quick and consistent throughout, something I always look for when evaluating shooters.
The previous record of 13 three-pointers was jointly held by Stephen Curry - Thompson's own teammate - and it's fascinating to consider how these two Warriors legends have pushed each other to greater heights. Curry had set his record just eleven months earlier against Dallas, and watching Thompson break it so soon afterward speaks volumes about the competitive environment within that Golden State team. From my perspective as someone who's followed both players' careers closely, there's always been this friendly but intense rivalry between them when it comes to shooting. They've elevated each other's games in ways we rarely see between teammates, constantly raising the bar for what constitutes elite shooting in the modern NBA.
When we talk about three-point shooting records, context matters tremendously. The game has evolved so dramatically since the three-point line was introduced in 1979-80 that comparing eras becomes challenging. In the 1980s and 1990s, teams simply didn't prioritize the three-pointer the way they do today. The first player to make 10 threes in a game was Brian Taylor back in 1979, and that record stood for over a decade before Dennis Scott broke it with 11 in 1996. Then came the explosion - Kobe Bryant tied Scott's record in 2003, Donyell Marshall broke it with 12 in 2005, and then Curry and Thompson began their back-and-forth record breaking. The progression tells a story about how the game has changed, and as someone who's watched basketball across multiple decades, I believe we're witnessing a fundamental shift in how teams approach offense.
What often gets overlooked in discussions about Thompson's record is the mental aspect of such performances. Making 14 three-pointers isn't just about physical skill - it requires incredible focus and the ability to stay in what athletes call "the zone." I've spoken with several sports psychologists about this phenomenon, and they consistently emphasize how shooting streaks like Thompson's involve a unique combination of confidence, rhythm, and almost unconscious execution. The player stops thinking and just reacts, trusting their training and muscle memory. Thompson himself has described moments like these as times when the basket seems enormous and every shot feels like it's going in, even before it leaves his hands. That psychological dimension fascinates me because it's something that can't be quantified by statistics alone.
The reference to Jordan Heading's approach in the PBA about assessing his body and not rushing back too soon actually connects beautifully to understanding how players like Thompson maintain their shooting excellence over time. Shooting, particularly at the volume and difficulty we see today, places tremendous strain on a player's body - from the legs that generate power to the shoulders and wrists that provide control and touch. Thompson's own career has been interrupted by significant injuries, including an ACL tear and Achilles injury that kept him out for two full seasons. His careful management of his body during recovery reminds me of Heading's comments about not rushing things. As someone who's worked with athletes on injury recovery, I can't stress enough how important this patient approach is for shooters specifically, since lower body injuries can completely disrupt the mechanics that make consistent shooting possible.
Looking at the current NBA landscape, I'm often asked if Thompson's record will be broken soon. My personal opinion is that it will happen, probably within the next 2-3 seasons, but it will require a perfect storm of circumstances. The player will need to be an elite shooter on a team that actively schemes to get them open looks, the game situation will likely need to be competitive enough that they stay in the game rather than sitting during garbage time, and of course, they'll need that magical shooting touch that night. Candidates who I believe could potentially challenge this record include Stephen Curry (who came close with 13 twice), Damian Lillard, Buddy Hield, and younger players like Tyrese Haliburton who have both the volume and efficiency to potentially have one of those historic nights. The evolution of the game continues to make such records vulnerable, as teams increasingly understand how to create optimal shooting opportunities through spacing, movement, and unselfish play.
What I find most compelling about Thompson's record isn't just the number itself, but how it represents the culmination of years of dedicated practice and systematic team development. Great shooters aren't born - they're developed through countless hours in the gym, refining their mechanics and building the muscle memory that allows them to perform under pressure. Thompson's father, Mychal Thompson, was an NBA player himself, so Klay grew up around the game, but his shooting prowess came from relentless work. I've visited Warriors practices and witnessed firsthand the shooting drills they run, the attention to detail in footwork and balance, and the competitive shooting games that push players to improve. Records like this one don't happen by accident - they're the product of environment, work ethic, and opportunity converging at the right moment.
As the game continues to evolve, I suspect we'll see more of these single-game records fall, but Thompson's 14 three-pointers will always hold a special place in basketball history. It represents not just individual excellence but a moment when everything aligned perfectly - the shooter's rhythm, the team's execution, the defensive approach they faced, and the historical context of the three-point revolution. Whenever I discuss shooting records with fellow analysts, we always come back to that October night in 2018 as a benchmark for single-game shooting excellence. While statistics will continue to be broken as the game evolves, performances like Thompson's remind us why we watch sports - for those transcendent moments when athletes achieve what previously seemed impossible, pushing the boundaries of human performance and leaving us in awe of what's possible when talent, preparation, and opportunity intersect so perfectly.