Stephen Curry has spent years turning Chase Center into his personal playground for ridiculous shots from impossible distances. On Monday, though, the Golden State Warriors superstar got to watch someone else steal the long-range spotlight.
With Curry in the building for the Golden State Valkyries’ matchup against the Dallas Wings, veteran guard Tiffany Hayes launched a 33-footer at the end of the first quarter. The shot beat the buzzer, gave the Valkyries a 20-19 lead, and sent “Ballhalla” and the basketball world into a frenzy.
Basketball Community Erupts After Tiffany Hayes’ Wild Buzzer-Beater, With Stephen Curry Leading Reactions
The Wings had taken a 19-17 lead after Arike Ogunbowale knocked down a mid-range jumper. Golden State answered with a play that looked almost too casual for the moment.
Hayes slowly brought the ball up near halfcourt before pulling up from deep. She released with plenty of confidence, and the shot dropped cleanly through the net as the quarter expired.
The celebration that followed was almost as impressive.
Curry and Warriors teammate Gary Payton II immediately reacted to the shot, with their celebration quickly going viral. The basketball world soon joined in.
“TIFFANY. HAYES. WHAT A SHOT TO END 1Q!” the NBA tweeted.
“ALL THE WAY FROM THE BAY,” the WNBA chimed in.
“Steph Curry and Gary Payton were in SHOCK after the half-court three by Tiffany Hayes,” ClutchPoints, which captured both NBA players’ reactions, posted.
“We are all Azzi Fudd watching this Tiffany Hayes logo triple,” NBA Top Shot wrote.
“Tiffany Hayes kisses the sky,” a sports journalist added.
“It’s launching missiles from midcourt in the WNBA… at the Chase Center! And the owner of the place, a certain Steph Curry, greatly appreciates this shot by Tiffany Hayes,” a basketball observer noted.
Naturally, Curry was asked about the shot early in the second half. Considering he is the NBA’s all-time 3-point leader and has produced countless deep-shot highlights at Chase Center, the comparison seemed inevitable.
But Curry made it clear that Hayes deserved the credit.
The two-time MVP revealed that Payton had predicted Hayes would pull up from way downtown before the shot dropped. The Warriors teammates then celebrated the moment as if one of their own had just buried a game-winner.
Curry also explained why the shot mattered beyond the three points. According to the superstar guard, Hayes’ long-range make created energy inside the building that became “contagious.”
That assessment proved remarkably accurate.
Golden State dominated the second quarter 24-9 after Hayes’ buzzer-beater, resulting in a 44-28 halftime advantage. Dallas fought back and made the contest interesting, but the Valkyries ultimately secured a 78-70 victory.
The win was Golden State’s sixth straight and improved its record to 25-9, allowing the Valkyries to maintain a firm grip on the No. 2 spot in the standings.
For Hayes, however, the lasting memory may not be the final score. It was the sight of Curry, arguably the greatest long-range shooter basketball has ever produced, watching her launch one from nearly half-court and reacting like a fan.
At Chase Center, that is about as strong an endorsement as a 33-footer can buy.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.