Paris, Aug 11:  Stephen Curry had only five 3-pointers in his first four games of the Paris Olympics combined. The shot just wasn't falling. And, then came the medal round. The all-time 3-point king in NBA history found his stroke in the nick of time for the Americans, making 17 3-pointers in the last two games against Serbia and France to help lead the US to its fifth consecutive gold medal with a 98-87 win. Stephen Curry Dons ‘Night Night’ Hoodie After Helping Team USA Beat France to Clinch Gold Medal in Men’s Basketball Event at Paris Olympics 2024 (See Pic) .

The last four of those 3-pointers came in the final 2:46 of the gold-medal game — a staggering display that anyone who watched will be hard-pressed to forget. “There's just a lot of faith, living and dying with the shots you think you should take,” Curry said. “The last 2 1/2 minutes were special. Guys were hyping me up.

"We had confidence in what we were trying to do. And I was just really present in the moment, enjoying myself." A breakdown of Curry's dramatics to seal gold for the US:

The First Important Shot From Stephen Curry

James brought the ball across midcourt, and Curry waved Anthony Davis away to create space for the pick-and-roll that was coming. Curry set it, then moved to the top of the key and took the pass from James. Curry shook free of French defender Guerschon Yabusele and made the 3-pointer from straightaway. Little did anyone know, he was just getting started. — USA 85, France 79, 2:41 left. LeBron James Becomes First Men’s Basketball Player to Win Gold Medal in Three Different Decades After Team USA Defeats Team France to Clinch Top Spot at Paris Olympics 2024.

The Second Important Shot From Stephen Curry

In the time-out with 2:22 left, Curry suggested that he and James keep running the pick-and-roll and having everyone else spread the floor.

A simple set, but very effective for someone generally considered the best shooter in the history of basketball. So, they ran it, this time with James setting the screen.

“I said, OK, let's do that because I've seen this before,'” said US coach Steve Kerr, who also is Curry's coach with the Golden State Warriors. “And, it usually works out well.” Curry kept the ball, got defender Nicolas Batum in the air, waited for him to land and then shot from the left side of the top of the key.

Curry was yelling a message as he headed back down the floor. “Don't worry about me,” he kept saying. Nobody was at that point.

— USA 90, France 81, 1:52 left.

The Third Important Shot From Stephen Curry

Batum had just made a 3-pointer to cut the lead back to six. Curry brought the ball down the floor and gave it to Kevin Durant, who immediately gave it back. Curry sent the ball his way again, and eventually, it was in the hands of Devin Booker. As Booker drove the baseline, he saw Curry open at the top of the key again. He wound up using the same move as the possession before; this time, it was waiting for Nando de Colo to bite on the head fake. Another 3-pointer is good. Liu Huanhua Wins China’s Fourth Weightlifting Gold Medal at Paris Olympics 2024.

“He's the best shooter to ever live,” Booker said. Curry screamed several times afterwards, then hoisted the top of his jersey to show the “USA” across his chest. — USA 93, France 84, 1:18 left.

The Fourth Important Shot From Curry - to Close it Out

Victor Wembanyama connected on a 3-pointer, the last salvo of his 26-point night, to get France within 93-87 with 54.4 seconds left. The Americans went back to Curry, as everyone knew they would. He sent the ball to Durant, just as he did in the previous possession. And Durant gave it right back again. Curry got the hint. He was keeping the ball this time. He forced a shot over Batum and Evan Fournier, kind of an off-balanced heave that looked like a mistake.

“I was kind of like, What the (expletive),'” US centre Bam Adebayo said. “Then, I remembered who was shooting it.”

Of course, it was going in. The US was up 96-87 with 35 seconds left. The French swimming star of these Paris Games, four-time gold medalist Léon Marchand, could only smile from his courtside seat. Curry put his hands to the side of his head in celebration. “Night night,” he calls it, a reference where he tells the other team it's time to go to sleep. In France, it translates to “nuit nuit.”

The game was over. The gold would be worn by Americans again. Curry watched Durant win gold medals at three previous Olympics. He watched Simone Biles win the all-around gold in women's gymnastics in the same arena earlier in the Paris Games. He wanted that moment, desperately. And, with four unforgettable shots, he delivered. “This might not come around again," Curry said. “It was very, very special.”

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