MISSION accomplished for Team USA.
Though it came with certain challenges, the Americans still remained atop the world of global basketball after surviving France, 98-87, in the gold medal match of the 2024 Paris Olympics inside Bercy Arena early Sunday morning in Manila.
And they have no other than Steph Curry to thank for that.
While they didn’t fall into a 17 point hole this time like they did against Nikola Jokic and the Serbians in the semis, the French still gave them all they could handle, as they trimmed the American lead to three 82-79 with 3:04 remaining after a Victor Wembanyama dunk.
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But that only set the carpet for Curry’s late game heroics, who went totally ballistic in the end game for the Americans.
With the Bercy Arena smelling an upset looming, Lebron James and Curry went with their unconventional pick-and-pop play with the bigger James being the ball handler and the smaller Curry setting the pick.
Just a split-second moment of confusion was all they needed as James flicked a behind the back pass to Curry who calmly drained a three pointer to give the Americans some breathing room.
But Curry wasn’t done. Two plays later, he used James as a screener and drained another three-pointer. And then he drained another one to respond to a Nic Batum three-pointer off a broken play on the other end.
With France just not giving up as Wembanyama drained another three-pointer to trim the American lead to two-possessions once more, Curry hit them with the backbreaker.
The former NBA MVP went left, shook off Batum, then hit a step-back three over the outretched arms of Evan Fournier to put the Americans ahead 96-87 with 35 seconds left in the game.
And as he ran towards the other end of the court to hit his signature celebration, no words were needed to be said - bonne nuit, Paris.
Gold Standard
Perhaps the only thing that was missing from Curry's illustrious basketball career is an Olympic gold medal, and boy he truly showed how much he wanted it.
Just two days after dropping 36 on the Serbians, the Golden State Warriors star once again topscored for the Americans with 24 points on 8-12 shooting from beyond the arc to make up for his horrid shooting to start his maiden Olympic campaign.
In the three elimination round games and the quarterfinals, Curry only had a total of five three pointers in 20 attempts. He made a whopping 16 of 26 combined in the medal rounds.
The French were in it to win it
While they were playing catch-up the entire game, France certainly didn't make it easy for the Americans as they stayed within striking distance all night long despite repeated attempts of Team USA to break the game wide open.
Wembanyama played like the true future of global basketball as the 20-year-old easily had his best game of the tournament for the hosts, finishing with 26 points and seven rebounds against his fellow NBA peers.
A guy who's not in the NBA anymore but showed up nonetheless is Guerschon Yabusele who continued his stellar form for the French.
The former Boston Celtic finished with 20 points, including a strong and-one dunk over James in the second quarter that had the entire Bercy Arena shaking as he slammed one over the king.
But the hosts simply just couldn't keep up with the depth and talent of Team USA as tournament revelation Isaia Cordinier was held scoreless while they didn't really get much from their other NBA trio of Batum, Fournier and Rudy Gobert who just combined for 15 points in between team.
Still, the French will be satisfied to take silver once again amid the threat of several countries like Germany and Canada dislodging them for a seat in the finals.
LeBron, at 39, is still the world's best
While Curry will undoubtedly, and most deservingly, get more time in the spotlight, James - in probably his last Olympics - just wrapped up one of the best all-around performances by any team USA player in the quadrennial games ever.
James was once again brilliant in the finals as the team's lead playmaker finishing with 14 points, 10 assists and six rebounds while being a force on the other end as well with two steals and a block.
For the tournament, the seemingly ageless 39-year-old put up averages of 14.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, 8.5 assists and 1.5 steals proving that despite his mileage, he still remains one of the best in the world.
That distinction was sealed when he was named the FIBA Olympic MVP.
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