For years, NBA fans around the world have dreamt of the day Steph Curry and LeBron James would team up and dominate the floor together.
Now that the two have with Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer, they haven't disappointed. From their great off-the-court moments to their inspiring on-court chemistry, the superstar duo never fails to make the most of their Team USA partnership.
And they've even got a special play drawn up -- that works.
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It is an action where Curry, standing at 6-foot-2 as Team USA's shortest player, sets a screen for the 6-foot-8 James. The defender who switches onto James more often than not is "too small" to stop him.
On top of it being fun for basketball fans to watch, the play between two of the game's biggest icons has proven to be successful for Team USA's offense.
“I’m a good screener and can cause some confusion for a guy like [LeBron] having the ball,” Curry said before Team USA's practice in preparation for Tuesday's Olympic quarterfinal against Brazil (h/t The Athletic's Joe Vardon). “We do it a little bit in Golden State where you have somebody else having the ball and me setting it, and I have a lot of different actions you can run. But if you get [LeBron] going downhill, good luck to anybody trying to stop him and having me come off into space.
“Just try to make teams make decisions and the more decisions you can make a defense make the better chance you have to create confusion."
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In eight games this summer, James is leading the Americans with 14.6 points per game on an incredible 62.7-percent clip.
For Curry, through five exhibition games and three Olympic contests, the Warriors guard is averaging 10.5 points but shooting just 39.1 percent from the field and 33.9 percent from 3-point range. Still, even when he's not shooting the ball the way the world knows he's capable of, he looks to find other ways to make an impact on the floor -- which includes running "too small."
And when it's working for the U.S. on offense, it makes Team USA coach Steve Kerr’s decision to stick with Curry -- or not -- a lot easier.
“It’s something we thought of immediately when we put the team together because Steph is like the modern-day John Stockton,” Kerr said. “He’s the best screening point guard in the league in my mind. He’s so physical, he’s so strong. People don’t really think of him for that, but teams are terrified of leaving him.
"So if he can set a screen and hold it, it’s going to free somebody up. And then obviously LeBron is LeBron, so it’s a good action for him.”
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