The Mavericks’ Klay Thompson moves into the top 5 of all 3 players in the NBA

DALLAS – Klay Thompson wore No. 11 during his 13-year run with the Golden State Warriors. After a sign-and-trade sent him from California to Texas last summer, Thompson moved to No. 31.

No. 31 was significant to Thompson for several reasons. A Dallas Maverick hadn’t worn it since Jason Terry, the sparkplug scoring guard who helped the franchise win a championship in 2011.

Another reason Thompson made the move: Reggie Miller, a player Thompson idolized as a child, wore No. 31 during his nearly two-decade tenure with the Indiana Pacers.

On Wednesday, Thompson passed Miller for fifth place on the NBA’s all-time 3-point list. Thompson came into Dallas’ Christmas game against the Minnesota Timberwolves and needed three 3s to get past Miller. Thompson hit his third triple of the game in the fourth quarter.

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“I saw so much footage of Reggie coming off screens as a teenager,” Thompson said at Mavericks media day in September. “Especially his ability to make game-winning shots. This is the most inspiring thing you can see as a Sagittarius. He wasn’t afraid whether he made the shot or missed. He would die from it.”

With his third 3-pointer on Wednesday, Thompson now has 2,561 3-pointers in 14 NBA seasons. Three of the four names ahead of him on the all-time 3s list are still in play.

Steph Curry, Thompson’s former teammate, is first on this list and will remain there for a long time. Curry (3,841) is more than 800 three-pointers ahead of James Harden (3,022), who is second. Ray Allen (2,973) is third. Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (2,683) is fourth.

Thompson entered Wednesday’s game shooting 39.1 percent from three attempts on nearly eight attempts per game. He made multiple 3s in eight straight games.

(Top photo: Cary Edmondson / Imagn Images)