David Bridges
The U.S. discovered itself in bother towards Serbia—after cruising via their first 4 video games of the 2024 Olympics, the People’ quest for Olympic gold appeared doomed to finish within the semifinals.
The most important deficit was 17 factors, and as they headed into the fourth quarter down by 11, the U.S. males’s basketball group was determined for a spark.
Kevin Durant and Devin Booker ignited the comeback, scoring six factors in simply two seconds. Then, Stephen Curry delivered probably the most exceptional scoring performances in U.S. Olympic historical past, main the group of NBA stars to a cinematic 95-91 victory on Thursday.
“That was a godlike efficiency,” Durant stated of Curry.
“I’ve seen a whole lot of Crew USA basketball,” Curry stated. “And that was a particular one.”
Curry put collectively his greatest efficiency in a USA jersey, scoring 36 factors—only one shy of the American Olympic file for males’s basketball held by Carmelo Anthony and essentially the most ever for a U.S. participant in a knockout recreation, based on ESPN.
“It was solely a matter of time earlier than he had considered one of these video games,” LeBron James stated of Curry. “We may see it day by day. He places an excessive amount of work in to not have a recreation like this. We wouldn’t need it some other approach.”
“It was the proper time for Chef to return out and do what he did.”
😤😤😤 1 extra!! pic.twitter.com/AUSTn9WDFk
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 8, 2024
James—the primary males’s basketball participant to hold the U.S. flag firstly of an Olympics—additionally made historical past by recording the fourth triple-double in U.S. Olympic historical past.
“We knew it was going to be tough,” James stated postgame. “We knew Serbia was going to provide us every little thing they’d.”
Devin Booker posted this on his IG story after Bogdan Bogdanovic stored hitting Carmelo Anthony’s celebration 😅
(by way of @DevinBook / IG) pic.twitter.com/Tft92POsfn
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 9, 2024
When the People tied the sport with about 3:35 left, Curry shared a smile with Crew USA’s largest cheerleader, Carmelo Anthony, who was sitting courtside. Bogdan Bogdanovic additionally had a second with the Crew USA legend, seemingly taunting him by mimicking Anthony’s trademark ‘three to the dome’ gesture after hitting a 3-pointer.
Serbia executed a incredible recreation plan and made pictures—together with 15 3-pointers. Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic contributed 17 factors and 11 assists, whereas Bogdanovic scored 20 factors.
“I’m actually humbled to have been part of this recreation,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr stated, tipping his hat a number of occasions to Serbia. “It’s one of many best basketball video games I’ve ever been part of.”
“They performed the proper recreation and compelled us to succeed in the best stage of competitors that we may discover. Our guys had been unimaginable in that fourth quarter, they usually received it executed.”
Serbia coach Svetislav Pešić reiterated all summer season that the U.S. group assembled for the Paris Video games was higher than any in Olympic historical past—even the Dream Crew, he insisted.
“They’re that good,” he stated.
Tessa Everly
Cameron Steel
