Paris 2024 Olympics: USA Overcomes Serbia to Secure Spot in Men’s Basketball Final
Paris Olympic 2024 Updates: Led by NBA icons LeBron James and Stephen Curry, the American men’s basketball team (USA) pulled off an amazing comeback to upset Serbia 95-91 and move on to the Paris 2024 Olympic final.
Team USA is still on course to win an Olympic gold medal for the sixth time in a row after this victory
The US team, captained by LeBron James, the all-time leading scorer in the NBA, will play France in the other semi-final as they look to win a fifth consecutive Olympic title. France defeated Germany, the current World Cup champions, 73-69.
NBA scoring leader LeBron James recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Stephen Curry, the star of the Golden State Warriors, sparkled with 36 points.
However, the Serbs, who had led for the majority of the game and entered the fourth quarter with a 76-63 lead, need an incredible fourth-quarter effort to eventually be defeated.
The comeback was launched by consecutive three-pointers from Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. With 3:41 remaining, James tied the score at 84-84 after Joel Embiid made a three-point play to get the States within four points.
With 2:24 left, Curry drained a three-pointer to give the US its first lead since the opening quarter, 87-86. After James made a driving layup, Curry stole the ball and drove for a score to increase the US advantage to five points, which they maintained.
Curry stated, “We knew we weren’t playing our best basketball the entire game, but we were only two or three possessions away from flipping the momentum or one bad bounce away.”
“We sensed it.” At the conclusion of the third quarter, there was a moment when you could start to wonder if they would ever slow down.
“Everything changed in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter.” After a drowsy first half, Embiid scored 19 points, Durant woke up just in time to add nine, and the United States kept their hopes of winning a 17th Olympic gold medal alive.
Three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Jokic led Serbia, which scored 20 points thanks to an outstanding Bogdan Bogdanovic, with 17 points and 11 assists in the game.
Curry had a blistering start to the game, scoring 17 points in the first quarter after draining five three-pointers. Only four players scored for the United States in a frantic first quarter, but Serbia combined for five three-pointers and took a 31-23 lead.
After more than six minutes, Serbia increased their lead to 42-25 as they kept up their relentless play. The United States was unable to slow the Serbian offense led by Jokic due to their offensive woes.
Aleksa Avramovic scored 15 points in the first half after going four of six from three-point range, while shooting guard Bogdanovic of the Atlanta Hawks scored 12 points before halftime. Despite having 20 points in the first half, Phoenix Suns star Durant, who is more reserved, missed his lone shot.
For the first time in the Paris Games, the United States suddenly appeared to be in serious peril despite their impressive group stage performance, which featured a 110-84 triumph over Serbia.
Curry and Jrue Holiday scored back-to-back three-pointers to narrow the gap to 59-65, but despite their best efforts, the US was unable to contain Serbia. After being fouled by Derrick White on a bomb from way beyond the arc, Marko Guduric converted a four-point play to send Serbia leading into the fourth quarter of the game.
