Stephen Curry waited his total profession to make his Olympics debut, however the begin of his run within the 2024 Paris Video games was decidedly underwhelming. In the US’ first 4 video games within the Olympics, Curry averaged solely 7.3 factors per recreation on 35.7 p.c taking pictures from the sector and 25 p.c taking pictures from three-point vary.
Because it took on Serbia within the semifinals, Curry didn’t waste any time exhibiting he can nonetheless be as spectacular as any participant on this planet on the fitting night time. He popped off for 17 factors within the first quarter together with his patented array of lengthy vary pictures, however the U.S. was nonetheless on the ropes.
Serbia led the US by 11 at halftime. Serbia led by 13 factors coming into the fourth quarter. With their basketball supremacy on the road, USA Basketball turned to Curry and LeBron James, and the duo helped ship the group to the gold medal recreation.
The USA beat Serbia, 95-91, to advance to the finals of the boys’s basketball event towards France. Curry scored extra factors within the semifinals than he did within the earlier 4 video games mixed, and it was the driving power in serving to the U.S. keep away from a vastly embarrassing loss.
Curry completed with 36 factors on 9-of-14 taking pictures from three-point vary. With Staff USA having its backs towards a wall, Curry repeatedly took over to maintain his gold medal desires alive.
“It was solely a matter of time earlier than he had one in every of these video games,” stated LeBron James on TV after the sport.
Curry didn’t do it himself. James and Kevin Durant joined Curry in taking part in your entire fourth quarter, and all three veterans made large pictures down the stretch.
James completed with 16 factors, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. It’s the fourth triple-double in Olympic historical past, and James turns into the primary participant to ever put up two Olympic triple-doubles. Durant added 9 factors, and had a clutch lengthy two-point bucket to assist safe the win on the finish of regulation.
Serbia led the US nearly your entire recreation. Curry began the scoring within the recreation, however the U.S. didn’t lead once more till late within the fourth quarter. USA wrestled the lead again when Curry hit this three-pointer working off a Joel Embiid display screen with simply over two minutes remaining.
On the following possession, James soared by means of the air for an acrobatic layup:
Curry and James embraced after the win:
That is why the US needed to put its absolute best roster collectively for these Olympics with the remainder of the world catching up. LeBron James skipped the earlier two Olympics, and Curry had by no means performed within the Olympics. USA Basketball did nicely to get commitments from its greatest gamers, and it has put them within the gold medal recreation.
This picture is straight away iconic:
There’s a variety of nice younger expertise all around the world in basketball, however Curry and James stay two of the brightest abilities within the recreation of their late 30s. Staff USA would have been toast in these Olympics with out them.
