The 'Dream Team' did it again: The United States defeated France to win its 17th gold medal in men's basketball
LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant were the stars of the team led by Steve Kerr. The score ended 98-87 in a packed Bercy Arena.
The United States won its 17th gold medal in men's basketball after defeating France in Paris/ Damien Meyer.
The Dream Team accomplished its mission. The United States won its fifth straight gold by beating France 98-87 Saturday in the Paris 2024, at an effervescent Bercy Arena in the face of local resistance against legends LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant.
In a repeat of the final three years ago in Tokyo, Team USA redeemed itself for its fourth-place finish in the 2023 World Cup, a result that was the grounds of the self-styled Avengers, assembled by LeBron to settle that debt.
What to do against a genius? France was within three points with three minutes left, but four consecutive three-pointers from Curry ended their resistance. The Golden State Warriors point guard struck his first gold with 24 points.
The United States has won 17 of the 21 Olympic men's basketball tournaments. Only the USSR (Munich, 1972, and Seoul, 1988), Yugoslavia (Moscow, 1980) and Argentina (Athens, 2004) have been able to break the empire.
The silver medal is France's fourth, having always been defeated by Team USA in the final: Paris 2024 joins London 1948, Sydney 2000 and Tokyo 2021.
The bronze went to Serbia, who beat Germany 93-83 with a triple-double from their leader Nikola Jokic (19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists).
The French team fought hard, led by Victor Wembanyama, who finally reconciled with the hoop (26) and Gerschon Yabusele (20), the team's offensive beacon since Paris took over from Lille in the quarterfinals.
France led by one point after 13 minutes. Still, it was enough for the U.S. to go with eight at halftime, with each of its pieces contributing a little bit of talent and the constant performance of LeBron James (14 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists), the soul of this team, the competitive battery that does not allow his team to let their guard down.
In the second half, with the best minutes of the 37-year-old veteran Nando De Colo in the tournament (12 points), France was able to start the last quarter down six, three with three minutes left after a dunk by 'Wemby.'
But then came Curry's trance to hang his first gold, LeBron's third and Durant's fourth (15 points). A trio of legends who are already the history of the Paris Games.
LATEST
