In a thrilling semifinal, Steph Curry led the USA Men’s Basketball team to a stunning 95-91 comeback victory over Serbia, securing their spot in the Gold Medal Game. Curry delivered an outstanding performance with 36 points and nine 3-pointers, igniting a fourth-quarter rally that saw the USA overturn a 17-point deficit. The United States outscored Serbia 32-15 in the final quarter, ensuring a rematch against France in the Gold Medal Game, echoing the 2021 Tokyo Games clash.
Facing its first loss of the summer and the possibility of contending for the bronze for the first time since 2004, the USA ramped up its defense. MVPs LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, and Curry led the charge to turn the game around. Serbia hit five 3s in each of the first three quarters and entered the fourth shooting 50% from deep. However, in the fourth, they went 0-9 from beyond the arc as the USA tightened its defense.
Down seven with six minutes to play, Embiid went on a personal 7-2 run, including a blocked shot, to keep the USA in the game. After a missed 3 by Serbia, LeBron finished a drive to tie the game at 84-84 with 3:41 left. Curry’s ninth 3-pointer gave the USA an 87-86 lead with 2:24 left. Back-to-back layups by LeBron and Curry pushed the lead to five. Despite a late Serbian push, Curry sealed the game at the free-throw line. LeBron’s triple-double (16 pts, 12 reb, 10 ast) marked the fourth in Olympic history, and he became the first player with multiple Olympic triple-doubles. Serbia’s Nikola Jokic (17 pts, 5 reb, 11 ast) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (20 pts) shone in the loss.
36 POINTS 🔥
Stephen Curry’s go-ahead triple in the 4Q completed USA’s 17-point comeback!
pic.twitter.com/AXw11LvUQn— NBA (@NBA) August 8, 2024
“It was only a matter of time before he had one of these games,” James said of Curry. “We can see it every day. He put too much work in not to have a game like this, and we wouldn’t want it any other way. It was a perfect time for Chef to come out and do what he did.”
The Gold Medal came is set for Saturday afternoon.
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