Team USA survived a scare in large part due to Steph Curry. The Golden State Warriors player from start to finish provided consistent scoring. But that wasn't the only thing that was impressive in his 36-point outing. It was how he was able to do it and the types of shots that fans have unfortunately grown accustomed to.
Contested fadeaways, clutch three-pointers, and other difficult plays are routine for him. That only further shows just how great he is. On a team that has multiple All-Stars and plenty of international experience, it was the retro Splash Brother game that proved to be exactly what the United States needed in the 95-91 semi-final win.
Again, it's not that he was able to score a lot of points. Firstly, it is a style of play that usually sees a high score of around the high teens or low 20s; even breaking 30 is impressive. But it's about more than that. The types of defenses that are played in international basketball tend to lend themselves toward the defense being able to mostly contain any single player from going off.
When you combine this with the fact that on this roster more or less everyone's going to see significant touches, the likelihood of what happened becomes less and less. Consequently, in order to do so in a win, efficiency is a must. So when anyone shoots 63% for the field (64% from 3-point range) and being perfect from the charity stripe deserves praise.
And yes, a lot of his shots were tough and would be ill-advised for an average player, but for the most part they were within the rhythm of his game and makeable within his standards. This is to say nothing was forced; he let the game come to him and really just did what needed to be done in order to keep Team USA within striking distance early when they were down.
Furthermore, he really just made the right basketball plays—a fact that's even more proven out when you look at his eight rebounds. This will be a game that fans will enjoy watching again and that coaches will analyze. His ability to stay hot and continue to produce and play with confidence even while the rest of his teammates are having a harder time getting going in terms of offense could end up proving to be the difference at this year's Paris 2024 Olympics.
Turning back the clock for Steph Curry
When surrounded by good players and in a good environment, the former Davidson player is someone who can make something out of nothing and can do enough to allow his team to hang it on until others start to get going. As mentioned, this is a team that has a clear roster construction advantage.
And LeBron James in particular didn't have a bad game. But for the most part, particularly from the bench, the heroics from Curry proved to be absolutely essential. But this is what's needed regardless of who's on the team or what level of play you're at. Not everyone will be in sync at the same time or be able to even get a bucket.
But the ability of the Sharpshooter showed what the great equalizer can be at any time. His consistent dedication to not only enhancing his fundamentals daily but also challenging himself is what allows someone at the caliber of Steph Curry to be able to stand out on the Olympic stage while playing for Team USA.