The 2024 USA Men’s Olympic Basketball Team is arguably the most talented squad ever assembled. Led by Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, as well as fellow all-time greats Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, Team USA was expected to leave Paris with a gold medal.
But that didn’t mean there weren’t some serious challenges along the way and on Aug. 8, 2024, three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and Serbia gave the Americans all they could handle. Team USA trailed by as many as 17 points and entered the fourth quarter down 13 before James and Curry led an unbelievable comeback.
Curry would go on one of his epic hot streaks while LeBron continually attacked the rim, whittling down the deficit Team USA faced. James would blow by the Serbian defense for a layup to finally tie the game at 84 and Curry would follow with a 3-pointer to give Team USA their first lead since midway through the first quarter. It was a lead they wouldn’t relinquish as the Americans would hold on for a 95-91 victory in one of the most thrilling Olympic basketball games ever.
It was Curry that was on another level in this game, finishing with 36 points including nine 3-pointers as he finally got hot for the first time in the tournament, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. James, meanwhile, was outstanding as he recorded a triple-double of 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists while Joel Embiid also had his best game of the tournament with 19 points.
CLUTCH DOWN THE STRETCH.
Relive Team USA’s INCREDIBLE comeback against Serbia to advance to the gold medal game! #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/tBDMxWWOXZ
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 8, 2024
Jokic controlled the game for Serbia for most of the night, finishing with 17 points and 11 assists, though foul trouble did hamper him late. Bogdan Bogdanovic was the leading scorer for Serbia with 20 points while Aleksa Avramovic added 15.
This contest really tested the mettle of the American squad and LeBron and Curry showed why they are two of the greatest players in NBA history stepping up to the challenge. It even led many to dream of a Curry-James team up in the NBA on the Lakers or Warriors. While that never happened, we will always have the 2024 Olympics to fall back on as James and Curry gave everyone a memory they will never forget.
LeBron James and Stephen Curry finished the job vs. France in Gold Medal Game
Of course, the game against Serbia was just the semifinal and Team USA still had to take down host country France, led by phenom Victor Wembanyama, in the gold medal game. And once again, LeBron James and Stephen Curry were up to the task.
The Lakers star finished with 14 points, six rebounds, 10 assists and two steals on his way to being named MVP of the tournament. Meanwhile, Curry hit eight 3-pointers including a pair of daggers to ice the 98-87 victory over France. LeBron’s then-Lakers teammate Anthony Davis was also outstanding with eight points, nine rebounds and four blocks.
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