LOS ANGELES (USA) - Remember the nine three-pointers Stephen Curry buried to lead USA past Serbia in one of the greatest Olympic performances of all time?
There were also the eight three-balls and 24 points in the Gold Medal Game win over France. The last of those has been dubbed the "Golden Dagger" and Curry has called it the most important three-pointer of his career.
It turns out that Steph is even more dangerous when he's doing something else.
"(Steph) is most dangerous when he doesn’t have the ball," said LeBron James, Curry's USA teammate in Paris, on his Mind the Game podcast with co-host Steve Nash.
Curry was a guest on the show and Nash, the FIBA Hall of Famer from Canada, cited a stat that illustrates how the Warriors legend's movement off the ball impacts games.
"Over a certain period of time in your career, your team’s rim attempts when you’re on the floor are 45 percent of your (team's) shots. That’s not from you diming (assisting) someone at the rim, that’s from your chaos.
"When you’re off the floor, it’s still pretty high, but it’s down to 27 percent. So your influence is 18 percentage on rim attempts. And that’s not from you, that’s just people’s respect for your gravity."
The defense is so focused on Steph’s shooting that, most of the time, the other team ends up giving up good scoring opportunities for his teammates - especially when he’s involved in screening for others, cutting, constantly moving, and remaining a threat as the defense’s main focus. Nash, LeBron, and Steph break down those plays on the podcast - a fascinating listen for any basketball fan.
He is most dangerous when he gives the ball up
James has had to go up against against Curry throughout his NBA career.
"When you’re competing against a guy like that," James said, "It grinds you in the head. Because it’s a natural reaction, (when) the most dangerous guy gives the ball up, the first thing you do is (James breathes a sigh of relief), 'I did a great job.'
“(But) He is most dangerous when he gives the ball up, 45 percent of rim attempts when he’s on the floor.
"That means when he gives the ball up, when he’s moving and moving, and everybody is doing like this to Steph (following him with their eyes), slip happens. Draymond layup, Iguodala lob, Gary Payton II a dunk..."
James put it another way.
"It’s funny to say the ball has energy, (but) also player movement has energy as well. And certain guys, you go back to Reggie (Miller) having energy himself, guys just moving and flowing, it’s just a beautiful thing.
"Except it’s not beautiful when you’re playing against him (Curry). It hurts. But as a competitor, and someone who thinks the game as well, it’s like, "Wow." You can appreciate that s ---."
Nash, who once held the reins of the Brooklyn Nets, had to figure out the best way to play defense when Curry was on the floor for Golden State.
"The game plan - do we switch, do we bump, do we show?" Nash said. "Like you staying at home, you talked about screening, they don’t want to leave your body, the decisions."
As for Curry, it's true that he's one of the greatest shooters of all time yet he doesn't have to score to enjoy the game.
"There are possessions when I'm on the sideline with coach, when you start clapping no matter if the shot went in or not because you knew the possession was just (excellent) … Those are my favorite moments when you’re watching film. It’s like, that’s just basketball at its best.
"And to be a part of organizing that and executing those types of possessions. Those are my favorite. It doesn’t matter who scores, everybody is hyped."
FIBA