In the Olympic semifinals, Team USA narrowly avoided a disastrous shock after defeating Serbia 95-91 on Thursday after coming back from a big hole.
With the victory, the American team advances to the gold-medal match against France, where they will compete for their twentieth and eighteenth Olympic titles.
Stephen Curry scores 36 points to dominate
Initially suppressing the American offense, the Serbian team used a surprise zone defense in a game where the U.S. was behind by as many as 17 points in the first half.
The United States was behind by 11 points at the break, the biggest deficit they have surmounted since NBA players started appearing in the Olympics in 1992, as they were unable to establish a rhythm.
PARIS, FRANCE – AUGUST 08: Stephen Curry #4 of Team United States drives past Ognjen Dobric #13 of Team Serbia during a Men’s basketball semifinals match between Team United States and Team Serbia on day thirteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 08, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
In a pivotal play in the fourth quarter, Team USA scored six points in a span of two seconds, which turned the tide. A 3-pointer by Kevin Durant, a free throw by Anthony Davis, and another 3-pointer by Devin Booker sparked a comeback by reducing Serbia’s 11-point lead to just five points.
With 2:16 left in the game, Stephen Curry made a huge 3-pointer to give the United States its first lead since the beginning of the game. He finished with 36 points.
In the closing seconds, Curry added two more free throws to complete the victory and guarantee the US team’s spot in the gold-medal game.
