Steve Kerr uncovers Steph Curry's masterplan with LeBron James to dismantle France in clutch
Steve Kerr and Team USA won over France in the 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal matchup behind Steph Curry's brilliance in the clutch Saturday. The Warriors superstar spammed the French defense with four consecutive made 3s in the last three minutes to put the game away.
Kerr gave insight into the Xs and Os of those last few minutes after the game, revealing Curry planned to run an action with LeBron James that sealed the USA's gold medal win.
“He actually suggested in the timeout with about three minutes left, he said, ‘Let me run a clear side pick and roll with LeBron, and we’ll spread the floor.’ I said, ‘OK, let’s do that, because I’ve seen it before and it usually works out well,'" Kerr told The Athletic.
It was a three-point game with 3:04 left when Curry and LeBron picked apart the French defense with their two-man action on the empty side. Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bam Adebayo spaced the floor for them. That helped the USA expose France's one-dimensional defenders, guarding the Curry-LeBron pick-and-roll.
The choice for them was to either take the result away and restrict Curry from shooting the 3 or limit LeBron from getting downhill to dunk or drive and kick it out to an open shooter. With James shooting 90% at the rim in the Olympics, France gave Curry the open shots, ultimately resulting in their 98-87 loss.
Steph Curry finished with a team-high 24 points and five assists on 8 of 12 shots from 3. Meanwhile, LeBron James had 14 points, six rebounds and 10 assists on 60% shooting.
USA big three LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant seal the deal
LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant entered the 2024 Paris Olympics as three of the oldest players in the tournament. It was the first time the trio stepped on the floor together in a competitive environment like this. When the USA needed the big moments, these three legends delivered like they were at the peak of their powers.
While the run until the quarterfinal was a cakewalk for the Americans, the semifinal and final posed a legitimate threat to their chances of repeating as gold medalists for the fifth consecutive time. The USA was down 17 to Serbia in the semis, but a 36-point outing from Steph Curry, a triple-double from LeBron James and Kevin Durant's seven of nine fourth-quarter points saved the day for the Americans.
The finals were another example, where the three started together for the first time and played for nearly 30 minutes apiece. Durant added 15 points, four rebounds and four assists while putting on a clinical display defensively.