The camaraderie between former NBA stars always serves as a source of joy for basketball fans. One such instance happened recently when Shaquille O’Neal hyped up his fellow retired NBA man, Dennis Scott. 28 years after the latter’s NBA record, the Diesel showcased support for the 55-year-old’s remarkable scoring performance on April 18, 1996, capturing his closeness with the former Orlando Magic teammate.
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As per the post, the former Magic forward made 11 three-pointers from 17 attempts against the Atlanta Hawks on that occasion. It established the NBA record for most threes in a single game, at that time. He surpassed the 1993 record of 11 three-pointers held by his then-teammate, Brian Shaw.
Reminiscing about the historic moment from nearly three decades back, Scott uploaded a clip capturing his scoring spree. Expressing his thoughts on the achievement, the 6ft 8″ icon wrote, “Happy Born Day!…ShootersParadise! Catch & Shoot!”.
This display of past dominance caught the eyes of Shaq. The 52-year-old shared the post from his Instagram story to publicly endorse his former teammate.
The Big Aristotle’s support for his former colleague shows mutual respect. On top of that, Shaq put into the limelight one of the most influential displays of the modern NBA. After all, this performance from Scott inspired several down the line, eventually ushering in a new era in basketball.
How did the next generation chase this record of Dennis Scott?
Initially, Ray Allen came close to breaking the record in April 2002, in a home game against the Charlotte Hornets. However, the 2x champion could only make 10 three-pointers, falling slightly short of Scott’s record, as per Basketball Reference. About a year after that, Kobe Bryant finally defeated the number, scoring 12-18 from the deep, establishing a brand-new record. Donyell Marshall matched this feat slightly more than a year later, adding volume to this gameplay.
These records sparked several such displays over the years with the league entering its transformation phase. It peaked under the influence of the Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson, in the 2010s. They both recorded double digits in three-pointers made on several occasions, disrupting the NBA.
Eventually, Thompson separated him from the rest during an away clash against the Chicago Bulls. On October 29, 2018, the 4x champion went 14-24, from the deep, to score 52 points in 27 minutes, as per Basketball Reference. This display of three-point scoring put him ahead of his contemporaries on the list. Six years later, the record still stands, showcasing the impact of the shooting guard in changing the game.
All these started with moments of inspiration from Shaw and Scott. Their performances provided a glimpse into a neglected method to win a basketball game. Decades later, they continue to influence the attacking strategies of the NBA teams, capturing the evolution of the league.
