PARIS — In Steph Curry’s first Olympic appearance, he would not be denied a chance to play for a gold medal.
For nearly all of Thursday’s semifinal game against Serbia, the U.S. lagged behind its opponent, Serbia. Even as the fourth quarter began, the U.S. trailed by 13.
But then Team USA did Team USA things: A Kevin Durant three-pointer amid a collision of bodies. A determined LeBron James layup. And finally — a Curry three-pointer from the top of the key to reclaim the lead.
Curry led all scorers with 36 points. He started the game scoring 14 of Team USA’s first 15 points.
Serbia took the lead with 5:49 remaining in the first quarter, and did not relinquish it until only 2:24 remained in the game.
Team USA’s 95-91 victory sets up a rematch of the gold medal match from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, in which the U.S. beat France. Much of that French team has turned over since, and it now features Victor Wembanyama, the 20-year-old phenom for the San Antonio Spurs whose 7-foot-4 frame and fluidity with the ball made him the most coveted prospect in a generation. In his rookie NBA season, he lived up to the hype, leading the league in blocks and unanimously winning Rookie of the Year.
France earned its berth in the gold medal match with an 73-69 win over Germany in its semifinal earlier Thursday. France has won three Olympic silver medals, but it has never won gold. (The U.S. has won all but one gold medal since 1992, the first year that professionals were allowed to participate. The only exception was in 2004, when Argentina won gold and the U.S. settled for bronze.)
In a preview of what is sure to be a pro-France crowd on Saturday, U.S. center Joel Embiid was showered with boos every time he touched the ball, as he has been throughout these Olympics.
Embiid, who was born in Cameroon and holds French citizenship, last year rejected an offer to play for the French national team. In an interview with the New York Times Magazine in June, he explained that his decision had been influenced by poor relations between France and Cameroon, which was governed by France before its independence in 1960.
“With my family being in Cameroon, I don’t want to put them through any of that stuff,” Embiid said. “I want them to be safe, and the relationship between France and Cameroon or Africa in general is just not good.”
