The United States will hope history repeats itself when it plays France in the final of the men’s basketball tournament at the Paris Olympics on Saturday.
At the 2020 Tokyo Games, the U.S. and France played for a gold medal for the third time in Olympic history, with the Americans prevailing 87-82. The Americans also beat the French in the finals in 1948 and 2000.
“They have the most talented team in the world,” France center Rudy Gobert said of the Americans. “They have a team of Hall of Famers, a team full of guys who have either changed or are changing the game of basketball.”
The loaded U.S. squad might make a lineup change ahead of the title game, as The Athletic reported Friday that Kevin Durant would replace Jrue Holiday as a starter.
Gobert believes that the French can pull off the upset, especially with home-court advantage.
“I think the atmosphere will be incredible,” Gobert said. “It’s what you dream of when you’re a kid. I remember it like it was yesterday, dreaming about it, seeing myself in the final of the Olympics. And now we’re here.”
Gobert came off the bench and logged only five minutes of playing time during France’s 73-69 semifinal win over Germany on Thursday.
Guerschon Yabusele finished with a team-high 17 points against the Germans, while Isaia Cordinier had 16 and Victor Wembanyama supplied 11. All three players hauled in seven rebounds apiece.
Team USA pulled off a thrilling 95-91 victory over Serbia on Thursday in the semifinals after trailing by as many as 17 points. The Serbians ended up taking a 76-63 lead into the final quarter, but Stephen Curry and LeBron James headlined a ferocious rally.
The Americans outscored Serbia 32-15 over the game’s final 10 minutes.
“I was trying to be aggressive, make plays for our team, try to do a little bit of everything on the floor and my teammates believed in me,” James said. “It’s good to be tested. It’s great to be tested. And our ultimate goal is one game away, so we’re looking forward to the game on Saturday.”
Curry poured in a game-high 36 points thanks in large part to a 9-for-14 showing from 3-point range. James recorded a triple-double (16 points, 12 boards, 10 assists), and Joel Embiid collected 19 points.
Even though he has put Team USA in position to snatch a gold medal at five straight Olympics, U.S. coach Steve Kerr has been criticized for not playing five-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum.
Tatum didn’t play on Thursday, and he also didn’t see the floor when the Americans faced Serbia in group play.
“It’s not about what Jayson is doing or not doing,” Kerr said. “It’s just about combinations and the way that group has played together, the way (Durant) has filled in since he came back from his injury. It’s just a math problem more than anything.”
The lack of playing time hasn’t fazed Tatum, though.
“Each game is extremely different, but the main thing is that we win, so whatever we’ve got to do or I’ve got to do from game to game to be a part of that and contribute when I can, I’m going to do that,” Tatum said following the United States’ win over Brazil on Tuesday.
Durant is set to start at the Paris Olympics for the first time. The 35-year-old forward sat out all five of Team USA’s pre-Olympic tune-up games due to a calf strain.
Holiday drew starts in the United States’ victories over Brazil in the quarterfinals and Serbia in the semifinals.
Team USA is going for its 17th Olympic gold in men’s basketball. France is trying for its first.
–Field Level Media
