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Brandon Miller had plenty to celebrate after Monday night's win over the Washington Wizards.
The Charlotte Hornets forward scored a career-high 39 points in the 110-103 win, adding six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. He also went 5-of-10 from three, and one of those shots put him in rare company.
Miller became the second-fastest player in NBA history to make 500 career 3-pointers, reaching the mark in his 170th game. Only Duncan Robinson got there faster.
Stephen Curry, who has made more 3-pointers than anyone in NBA history, didn't reach 500 until his 221st game. Miller needed 51 fewer games.
That doesn't mean Miller is suddenly in Curry's class as a shooter. The NBA has changed a lot since Curry came into the league in 2009, especially with how many threes teams take. Miller has also never been shy about putting them up, averaging more than seven 3-point attempts per game in each of his first three seasons.
Still, 500 threes in 170 games is impressive. Hornets On SI mentioned the milestone following Charlotte's win over Washington, but it came on a night when Miller did a little bit of everything. He finished 15-of-28 from the field and scored 13 points in the fourth quarter as Charlotte held off the Wizards.
It also wasn't a one-night thing. Miller scored 34 points against Miami two nights earlier, giving him 73 points over the two games. Charlotte won both, which matters a lot more than the individual numbers after the way this season started.
The Hornets have needed Miller to do more with Kon Knueppel, Coby White and Grant Williams out. The last two games have shown what that can look like.
Charles Lee said after the Washington game that Miller wanted the ball late and also praised what he did defensively. That showed up in the box score with three steals and two blocks. Miller wasn't just standing on the perimeter waiting for shots. He was involved throughout the game and had the ball in his hands when Charlotte needed something late.
The Hornets just signed Miller to a five-year, $209 million extension, and that comes with a bigger role. The shooting is always going to be a major part of his game, and getting to 500 threes this quickly shows that.
But 34 points followed by a career-high 39, with two Charlotte wins attached to them, is a lot more important than where Miller ranks next to Curry on a list.