The legend of Stephen Curry continues. His fourth quarter heroics lifted Team USA to a fifth straight gold medal in Saturday’s Olympic Final against France.
Stephen Curry didn’t care if he and Team USA were in enemy territory.
Road game or not, he wasn’t leaving Paris without giving everyone a show — reminding people why he’s still the most electrifying player in the world and why the United States is inevitable on the hardwood.
Pouring in four 3-pointers in a span of two minutes and 12 seconds, Curry entered one of those out-of-body experiences that makes you question what species he is. Because no human should be able to execute that beautifully in the clutch, especially given the stakes.
He played the entire fourth quarter, scoring 14 points in the period to lift USA over France in the 2024 Olympic Final. Leaving his teammates speechless and his opponents devastated, Curry saved the most memorable stretch of his International career until it was desperately needed.
Behind his heroic efforts, Team USA captured its fifth consecutive gold medal, dating all the way back to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Overall, this is the United States’ 17th gold medal in the men’s basketball tournament.
The entire world got to see what makes Curry a special force: He walks the line between self-effacing star and a cold-blooded killer.
When France cut into the deficit and had USA rattled in the fourth, someone needed to close the door. With LeBron James as the floor general and Steve Kerr having a decade of experience coaching Curry, they knew exactly how to finish the deal.
USA leaned into the James and Curry pick-and-roll action during the second half, often putting the defense in a no-win situation. When Curry slipped the screen and found himself with space, it also resulted in a switch most of the time. He utilized his quickness, jab-steps, and shot creation to punish bigger wings on the perimeter.
That was how Curry set up the first triple, which ultimately sparked a flurry that France had no answer for:
The second 3-pointer came a minute later, except this time Curry was controlling the pick-and-roll with James. Using the ball-screen and feeling Nicolas Batum attached at the hip, Curry went directly into his signature step-back ‘hop’ to get separation. His patience was on full display, too, anticipating Batum’s shot contest and waiting for him to fly by before unleashing another triple:
Curry’s greatest trait as a player is easy to pinpoint.
