Steph Curry and LeBron James put on a show as Team USA secured their fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal, defeating hosts France in Paris. Curry led the charge with 24 points in the 98-87 victory in the final, while Kevin Durant and Devin Booker each added 15 points. Durant made history by becoming the first man to win four Olympic gold medals in basketball.
LeBron James, donning striking metallic gold shoes, scored 14 points and added another Olympic medal to his collection, making this his fourth overall and third gold.
For France, Victor Wembanyama shone in his first Olympic final, scoring 26 points, while Guerschon Yabusele contributed 20 points.
The result mirrored the outcome from the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, where the U.S. also beat France in the gold medal game. However, this loss was particularly painful for the French team, who were playing in front of their home crowd.
Despite the defeat, France showed great determination. Led by Wembanyama, the top pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, and Yabusele, France managed to keep the game close during the first half and even got under the skin of Durant and Booker with some intense confrontations.
However, the Americans began to pull away in the second quarter. Curry, who had scored 36 points in the semi-final win over Serbia, found his rhythm from three-point range. A three-pointer from Jrue Holiday helped the U.S. lead 49-41 at halftime, and Curry extended the lead to 56-43 early in the second half with a shot from the corner.
Even with the French President Emmanuel Macron in attendance, France fought back, narrowing the gap to 65-59 with a three-pointer from Evan Fournier late in the third quarter. James quickly responded with a three-pointer of his own, increasing his points tally.
France continued to push in a tense fourth quarter, reducing the deficit to 82-79 with a basket from Wembanyama and less than three minutes remaining. However, Curry proved unstoppable, sinking three three-pointers in the final two minutes to seal the victory for the United States.
France will have another opportunity for Olympic basketball glory on Sunday when their women’s team faces the U.S. women’s team, who have been unbeaten in the Olympics since 1992 and are pursuing their eighth consecutive gold medal.
