Before the start of Thursday’s semifinals game against Serbia, Golden State Warriors and Team USA star Steph Curry had made just five of his 20 three-point attempts at the Paris Olympics.
Breaking out of this slump, Curry exploded for 36 points and nine made threes against Serbia to send Team USA to the gold medal game against France.
This performance from Curry was historic, as he finished with the second-most points for any Team USA player at the Olympics. Curry’s 36 points trail only Carmelo Anthony’s 37 points against Nigeria in 2012.
While he didn’t break Anthony’s record, Curry still made history, turning in the second-highest scoring performance in Team USA Olympics history:
Stephen Curry put on a signature shooting performance in the USA’s semifinal win against Serbia. He scored 36 points (12-19 FG, 9-14 3FG), the second-most points by an American at the Olympics. Carmelo holds the record with 37 points against Nigeria in the 2012 Olympics.
Additionally, Curry recorded the most points for Team USA in a knockout game at the Olympics:
Team USA needed every bit of what they received from Curry on Thursday, as Serbia put together arguably their most impressive performance of the tournament. While they have of course had convincing wins at the Paris Olympics, this performance from Serbia against a star-studded Team USA roster was as impressive as some of their victories.
Along with Curry’s 36 points, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James finished with a triple-double. Tallying 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, James did everything for Team USA in this win.
Curry and James shared a special moment after the game, celebrating as teammates after so many years as opponents on the NBA’s biggest stage.
