Stephen Curry and LeBron James gave the US their fifth consecutive gold medal after defeating host France in Paris.
Curry scored 24 factors within the ultimate, main his workforce to a 98-87 win, whereas Kevin Durant, the primary four-time males’s gold medalist in Olympic basketball historical past, and Devin Booker ) will rating 15 factors.
LeBron James, carrying metallic gold footwear that want no clarification, scored 14 factors to win his fourth Olympic medal and third gold.
Victor Wembanyama, taking part in in his first Olympic ultimate, had a powerful efficiency for France, scoring 26 factors, whereas Guerschon Yabusele added 20 factors.
The consequence was the identical because the Tokyo Olympic gold medal recreation three years in the past, however the loss was somewhat extra damaging for France on its house hardwood in opposition to a mesmerized nation.
Los Angeles Lakers star James opened the scoring with a dunk after which started to assist his teammates with a no-look go to Booker.
France, which misplaced 87-82 to the US within the ultimate in Tokyo three years in the past, was decided to not concede at house.
By way of San Antonio Spurs’ 2023 NBA No. 1 decide Bunyama and Actual Madrid’s Yabousele, France stored the rating shut for many of the first half and managed to inflame each confrontations. Durant and Booker.
However Crew USA started to loosen up within the second quarter, and Golden State nice Curry started to seek out his vary from past the arc. Curry scored 36 factors to guide his workforce to a detailed semifinal victory. Nikola Jokic’s Serbian workforce.
Earlier than halftime, Jrue Vacation hit one other three-pointer to chase the rating to 49-41. Curry’s nook shot firstly of the second half gave the US a 56-43 lead.
With President Macron wanting on, France continued to struggle laborious and Evan Fournier’s three-pointer late within the third quarter narrowed the hole to 65-59, however James responded in form, changing his personal Introduced into double digits.
France refused to go away in a tense fourth quarter, and with lower than three minutes left, Wembanyama hit a discipline objective and scored eight straight factors to shut the hole to 82-79.
However France had no reply and Curry hit three three-pointers within the ultimate two minutes to take the sport away from them.
France will as soon as once more declare basketball glory on Sunday, however the girls’s workforce shall be at a larger drawback in opposition to the mighty United States, which has not misplaced on the Olympics since 1992 and is chasing an eighth straight title.
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