Steph Curry delivered a performance for the ages for Team USA men’s basketball on Saturday night, propelling the Americans to a victory in their gold medal showdown against France. He simply carried USA on his back down the stretch, drilling dagger after dagger from beyond-the-arc.
Once the dust had settled, he drained eight three-pointers, none being bigger than the knockout punch he delivered with 34.5 seconds remaining. With USA leading 93-87, Curry dribbled behind his back and delivered a step back dagger in the face of a French double team that won’t be soon forgotten.
He helped propel the Americans to a 98-87 victory in the gold medal game, stuffing the stat sheet with 24 points, five assists, and two steals. He finished 8 of 13 from beyond-the-arc on Saturday night. According to StatMamba, Curry is the first player in Olympic history to drain eight or more three-pointers in back-to-back games. It took him a while to find his form in this year’s Olympics, but once he did, he showed exactly why he’s viewed as the greatest shooter of all-time.
Steph Curry on his legendary performance against France
Following the gold medal victory on Saturday night, Curry spoke with NBC’s Mike Tirico.
He’s played in Game 7s in the NBA Playoffs. Did it feel like that on Saturday night in Paris? “Yeah, this was a test. Obviously, France in their home building. You know they weren’t gonna quit. They threw everything at us,” Curry explained.
Curry will undoubtedly end up in the basketball Hall of Fame. Even with all that he’s accomplished, his record-setting performance Saturday night will always mean something special to him.
“It was a little bit of, a new team like we have, no matter how much talent we have, got a little out of sorts down the stretch. Turned the ball over. Taking quick shots. Obviously, it was a big shot when we were up three to put us up six. That kind of settled everything. And then, the rhythm, the avalanche came, and thankfully the other three went in. But that was an unbelievable moment. I’ve been blessed to play basketball at a high level for a very long time. This ranks very, very high in terms of the excitement and the sense of relief getting to the finish line,” the sharpshooter noted.
What does it mean for Curry to bring home his first Olympic gold medal?
“It’s special. Two years ago, when we won our last championship, I knew that this was gonna be on the horizon as something that I was excited to go after. Anything you sign up for, you know, any mission that you take on. You give everything you have,” he explained.
“These last five weeks together with this group has been nothing but 1, 2, 3, gold. That’s all we’ve been saying. So, for us to finally accomplish that. For me to get, you know, a gold medal is insane. And I thank god for the opportunity to experience it,” Curry continued.
What does it feel like when he has the ball in his hands, and he knows he’s in rhythm as a shooter?
“It’s just get to your spot and just be under control. I think you’ve taken those type of shots countless times in the gym. And you have a rhythm. It’s just being decisive. We had turnovers because we weren’t decisive in what we were trying to do. I knew if I got to my spot and I could get a good release on it, I’d be able to knock it down. You live with the results. There’s a lot of faith in it. Just let it go and you live with the results and thankfully, the work took over,” Curry finished.
It’s the fifth straight Olympic gold medal for Team USA in men’s basketball, continuing their dominance over the sport.
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