Paris, France- For the fifth consecutive time, the United States 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team has won the Gold Medal with a heart pounding victory, 98-87 over France at the electric Bercy Arena on Saturday afternoon.
It was the veteran trio of Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Steph Curry who helped the United States win while clinging to an evaporating lead in the fourth quarter. With the raucous French crowd in the stands, chef Curry created a flambe out of the basketball sealing the victory with his late game heroics.
After France cut the United States’ lead to 82-79 with just over three minutes remaining, Steph Curry took over. The two-time MVP hit four 3-pointers in the final three minutes to seal the United States’ win, giving him the one major basketball accomplishment he didn’t have: an Olympic gold medal.
It was perhaps his greatest moment, especially the ridiculous three pointer over France’s Victor Wembanyama which somehow rattled in.
The four 3-pointers accounted for half of Curry’s point total on Saturday, scoring a team-high 24 points. Phoenix Suns teammates Kevin Durant and Devin Booker each had 15 points. For Durant, Saturday’s win is his fourth Olympic gold medal.
“A lot of relief,” Curry said. “It wasn’t easy but damn, I’m excited. Everything I wanted it to be and more.”
He was aided by the ageless LeBron James, who played another brilliant all-around game, finishing with 14 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, a steal and a block.
When the game is on the line, there still isn’t anyone better than those two. And when you need someone to hit a clutch basket, well, there was no doubt.
San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama scored a game-high 26 points.
France was the first host nation to play in the men’s basketball gold medal game since the United States in 1996. It’ll take home the silver medal for the second straight Olympic Games.
For Captain America AKA Kevin Durant, he earned his fourth Olympic Gold Medal. Durant is the greatest player in the history of international basketball, adding 15 points in the win.
Anthony Davis had eight points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots for the U.S., which went 6-0 at the Paris Olympics and have won 11 straight at the Summer Games. The U.S. is 144-5 in Olympic history.
The world may be catching up to the United States in men’s basketball but it hasn’t gotten all the way there yet.
