Stephen Curry delivered a stellar performance, scoring 36 points and hitting a decisive 3-pointer with 2:16 remaining, as the U.S. men’s basketball team secured a spot in the Olympic gold medal game by defeating Serbia 95-91.
USA ADVANCES TO THE #Paris2024 FINALS BEHIND STEPHEN CURRY'S 36 POINTS! pic.twitter.com/JhSYx7AjPu
— NBA (@NBA) August 8, 2024
The game was a test of resilience for the American squad, which trailed by as many as 17 points in the first half and faced an 11-point deficit at halftime – the largest comeback by a U.S. team since NBA players began participating in the Olympics in 1992. Serbia had an 11-point lead with 7:19 left in the game, but the Americans dominated the final stretch, outscoring the Europeans and clinching the victory despite leading for just 3 minutes and 25 seconds in the entire game. In contrast, Serbia controlled the game for 35:12, nearly 90% of the contest.
Curry’s 36 points were the second-most ever scored by a U.S. men’s player in Olympic history, just one point shy of Carmelo Anthony’s record of 37 points against Nigeria in 2012. Steph shot 9/14 from long range and also added 8 rebounds and 2 assist to his personal stats. Joel Embiid contributed significantly with 19 points on 8-for-11 shooting, while LeBron James added 16 points.
LeBron James also made history by recording the fourth triple-double in Olympic basketball history with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. This marks James’ second career Olympic triple-double, the first being on November 14, 2012, against Australia in the London 2012 Games. The only other players to achieve a triple-double in the Olympics are Alexander Belov in Montreal 1976 and Luka Doncic in Tokyo 2020.
For Serbia, Bogdan Bogdanovic led the scoring with 20 points, while Nikola Jokic recorded a double-double with 17 points, 11 assists, and 5 rebounds.
Curry, Durant, James, and the rest of Team USA will face Victor Wembanyama and France in the final of the Olympic basketball tournament. The highly anticipated showdown is scheduled for tomorrow at the Accor Arena in Paris.