Team USA completed its toughest test yet and will now move onto its final challenge of the summer: host nation France.
Team USA came back from down by as much as 17 points on Thursday to beat Serbia in the semifinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, 95-91, and move on to the gold medal game on Saturday.
The Americans had beaten the Serbians twice already this summer, and by 26 points each time, but this would be different given what was on the line.
And where would Team USA have been early without Stephen Curry, who had 14 of his team’s first 15 points, setting an Olympic career high in less than four minutes? The Americans needed that early effort from the world’s greatest shooter ever, as Serbia started 9-for-11 from the field and 5-for-6 from 3.
Chef Curry was COOKING early.14 points in the first THREE MINUTES AND 34 SECONDS.#ParisOlympics | USA Network and Peacock pic.twitter.com/TnUR25TnAp
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 8, 2024
But even with Curry’s early explosion and the 3 he added before sitting down, Team USA was down by eight after giving up 31 points in the opening 10 minutes.
The Americans started the second quarter unable to find much offensively, puzzled by Serbia’s zone defense en route to a 17-point deficit. Devin Booker cut to the rim to find some of their first points of the quarter on an and-one delivered by LeBron James, but a lot of work still had to be done.
Even as Team USA’s offense started to wake up, its defense continued to gamble, and Serbia continued to make them pay, knocking down shots from distance. Former Suns draft pick Bogdan Bogdanovic was the biggest Serbian catalyst, finishing with 20 points on three 3s and some fiery moments directed at Team USA legend Carmelo Anthony sitting courtside.
Although the Americans shot their way back to a six-point deficit late in the third, Serbia still maintained a 13-point lead going into the final 10 minutes, on the verge of a monumental upset.
Down eight with less than eight minutes left, Booker broke free for a 3 off a sideline out-of-bounds play. Durant followed it with an elbow jumper the next time down. Joel Embiid scored the next three baskets to help Team USA pull within two of a Serbian group that wasn’t letting up on their offensive end. He had a block to help keep it close as well.
Who else would be the one to tie it for Team USA other than Captain LeMerica himself, James, cutting to the rim off an assist from Durant. Then it was Curry hitting another big 3 to take the lead. James had the exclamation point right after, and Curry broke away for one more 2 to give Team USA the 91-86 lead with about 100 seconds left after all that.
Durant hit a dagger in isolation to earn a four-point lead with 34 seconds left, and Curry hit free throws inside of 10 seconds to ice it, a 95-91 win for Team USA over Serbia to advance to the gold medal game.
CLUTCH DOWN THE STRETCH.Relive Team USA’s INCREDIBLE comeback against Serbia to advance to the gold medal game! #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/tBDMxWWOXZ
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 8, 2024
The generational Big 3 of James, Curry, and Durant showed up huge with the Americans’ backs against the wall. James had a 16-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist triple-double while Curry had 36 points and Durant added nine, with seven huge ones in the fourth.
France held on to beat Germany in the first semifinal game, meaning Team USA and host nation France and will play for the gold medal at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday in a rematch of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics gold medal game, while Germany and Serbia will play for the bronze.
