Stephen Curry let it fly from the top of the arc, backpedalled as his record- breaking three-pointer dropped and then wildly began bobbing his head and shuffling his feet with the swagger of a two-time reigning MVP.
Add another remarkable achievement to a long list of them for Curry: most three- pointers in one NBA game.
The star guard sank 13, a game after missing all his three-point tries for the first time in two years - helping the Golden State Warriors beat the winless New Orleans Pelicans 116-106 on Monday (Tuesday AEDT).
"This was a special night," Curry said.
Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry shoots as New Orleans Pelicans' Buddy Hield holds his breath.Credit: AP
He finished with 46 points, three days after his league-record streak of 157 games with at least one three-pointer ended when he went 0 for 10 on three-point tries in a 117-97 road loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
"I was hard on myself in practice the last two days. I had pretty good shooting sessions," he said.
"I don't overreact to games like that whether I go 0 for 10 or 2 for 12 or whatever it is.
"My process is the same, but I had another level of focus the last two days trying to get my rhythm back and see the ball go in."
Stephen Curry shoots his way to a record.Credit: BEN MARGOT
Curry shot 13 of 17 from beyond the arc in his seventh career game with double- digit threes.
He broke the mark with 2:23 to go and bobbed his head in delight as the crowd roared.
Curry shared the previous three-point record of 12 with Kobe Bryant and Donyell Marshall.
Grabbing back the spotlight from new Golden State star Kevin Durant, Curry raised his right arm and pumped his chest all night, howling and pointing as one shot fell after another.
He went 16 for 26 overall in his first 40-point performance after leading the NBA with 13 last season.
Warriors fans enjoyed every minute of it, chanting "M-V-P! M-V-P!"
"That was quite a show. Not at all surprising the way Steph bounces back from bad nights," Golden State coach Steve Kerr said.
Klay Thompson had 24 points with two threes as the Splash Brothers looked far more in sync from long range. Durant added 22 for the Warriors.
Davis had 33 points and 13 rebounds for New Orleans (0-7), which along with the 76ers (0-6) are the NBA's lone teams still without a victory.
AP