EGN NEWS DESK
The first three-pointer Stephen Curry nailed within the closing three minutes of Team USA’s 98-87 victory over France on Saturday night time at Bercy Arena was pretty fundamental, for him, although it may need been a very powerful of the Curry flurry that clinched gold for the Americans, and the primary Olympic title of Curry’s profession.
With France having lower the U.S. result in three, 82-79 within the fourth quarter, Curry pump-faked, sending French defender Guerschon Yabuselle airborne. He took a dribble to his proper, to the highest of the important thing, giving himself a straight line to the bucket. He’s hit this shot on so many events. He did it once more, and gave the U.S. much-needed respiratory room.
Three-pointer quantity two got here lower than a minute later, with round 1:53 left on the clock and the U.S. up 87-81. This time, Curry went to his left earlier than delivering the pretend. Poor Nicholas Batum, the NBA vet who flew by Curry this time. Bang. Curry began pointing at this chest. 90-81, a digital dagger.
France, nonetheless, refused to buckle. Batum hit a 3 to make it a 90-84, now a two-possession recreation. But again down the ground, the U.S. referred to as Curry’s identify once more. This time, poor Nando de Colo. He fell for the pretend. Another Curry three— his third in 88 seconds —and now a nine-point lead for the U.S, with somewhat over a minute now left.
“Just merely marvel at his superb expertise,” stated LeBron James, who was named Olympic match MVP after the sport. James completed with 14 factors, 10 assists, and 6 rebounds towards France. For years, James has been on the different finish of Curry’s onslaughts. They joined forces, for the final time at these Games and fairly probably, ever, on Saturday. “Keep discovering him,” stated James. “Keep getting him the ball.”
Victor Wembenyama, the stretchy younger French phenom who led France with 26 factors on the night time, responded with a three-pointer of his personal, to chop the U.S. result in 93-87 with 55 seconds left. France was nonetheless effectively inside placing distance.
Then got here the precise dagger. Curry danced along with his dribble on the following possession, and with the shot clock-running down—however not fairly at zero, so he didn’t have to take the shot—he stepped again and launched what appeared like a prayer over two French defenders: Batum—him once more—and Evan Fournier.
Read extra: U.S. Women’s Soccer Team Scores Victory on the Paris Olympics With Thrilling Gold Medal Win
“Hell nah,” Anthony Edwards stated afterwards, when TIME requested him if he thought the ball was entering into.
“I used to be sort of like, what the f–ok?” stated Bam Adebayo of Team USA.
The ball sailed so excessive, it virtually hit the Bercy Arena ceiling. By the time it fell via the ring—”ohhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!” screamed one of many TV broadcasters—Curry had stumbled in direction of the sideline, within the neighborhood of half courtroom. Ball recreation. Curry did his signature night-night gesture.
“Every shot you are taking, you suppose it is entering into,” stated Curry afterwards. “There’s religion in no matter occurs. But that was the top of a strong flurry of these photographs. At the top of the day, all I noticed was the rim. I didn’t see who was in entrance of me. It was sort of a late-clock scenario.”
“I impressed myself.”
Read extra: Team USA Men’s Basketball Team Defeats France for Gold at Paris Olympics
Curry completed the sport with 24 factors, on 8-for-12 three-point taking pictures, to go on high of his 36-point effort in Team USA’s semi-final comeback win towards Serbia. He capped off a memorable Saturday for the United States, which together with the basketball gold, additionally gained girls’s soccer gold and three extra observe and discipline gold medals on the penultimate day of Olympics competitors.
“It’s proper up there with the entire biggest video games of his profession,” stated U.S. coach Steve Kerr. “The shot-making was simply unimaginable. But below the circumstances, on the highway, in Paris, towards France for a gold medal, that is storybook stuff. But that’s what Steph does. He likes to be in storybooks.”
