Even though Team USA did not win the gold medal with its 95-91 semifinals victory over Serbia yesterday, the whole team went out to celebrate after an incredible 17-point comeback.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!“How can you not celebrate a win like that?” asked Durant while sitting next to his mom in a video posted by USA Basketball. “That’s what this is about. We all come together as one on the other side of the world like this. Starting ‘USA’ chants, our (family) section. It’s special tonight. … I know we want to win a gold, but we got to celebrate the small moments too.”
Durant had nine points and was part of the closing group Team USA went with alongside Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, LeBron James and Joel Embiid. This lineup helped put together a 32-15 fourth quarter after Serbia entered the fourth up 76-63.
“I guarantee you everybody in here, they’ll never forget about this night,” Durant said. “Everybody in here gonna remember this night for the rest of their lives. That’s how special this is because we came back and we showed how together we were in that fourth quarter, it was incredible.”
A night we'll never forget.
????️ @KDTrey5 on the comeback win over ???????? Serbia
???????? #USABMNT #Paris2024 #Basketball pic.twitter.com/FvSHf5hknY
— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 8, 2024
Durant, who has always loved representing his country and became Team USA’s all-time Olympic leading scorer on Tuesday, has been all smiles throughout the 2024 Paris Olympics and now has a chance to win his fourth-straight gold medal on Saturday against France.
“A lot of bull—- happens in our country. But a lot of great things happen, too,” Durant said on his patriotism to the U.S. yesterday (via San Antonio Express’ Mike Finger).
Kevin Durant, on patriotism, and playing for Team USA:
“A lot of bullshit happens in our country. But a lot of great things happen, too.” pic.twitter.com/QxZv1eYKG1
— Mike Finger (@mikefinger) August 8, 2024
Why the Serbia win was one of Durant’s favorite games ever
Durant has now played in 1,231 NBA games (regular season and postseason) and 36 international contests and won two NBA championships, three Olympic gold medals and the 2010 FIBA World Cup. However, Durant said yesterday’s game against Serbia was right up there with the best he has played in.
“That was at the top,” Durant said. “One of the best games I ever been a part of for a simple fact that we dug deep, being down 15 that late in the game … and the fourth quarter dominance that we showed. We won it (because of) our defense and getting out and running transition.
“We barely called plays. We just played off of each other. It was a lot of non verbal actions out there, guys just knew where each other were gonna be on both ends of the floor. It was special to be a part of.”
Durant only had two points through the first three quarters, but had seven in USA’s breathtaking fourth quarter that featured four MVPs in Durant, James, Curry and Embiid playing at the best of their abilities trying to will the U.S. back, while three-time MVP Nikola Jokic was fighting back on the other end, as he ended with a 17-point, 11-assist double double.
Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic also played a big role for Serbia, finishing with a team-high 20 points, as the Serbians connected on 15 of their first 30 3s through the first three quarters, but went 0-for-9 from deep in the fourth.
“I think this game is going to go down as one of the most memorable games for anybody,” Durant said. “You see Jokic on that end, doing what he can do to will his team to victory. Then you got MVPs on our team. You also got to give the other guys credit too, like (Bogdanovic) and (Aleksa Avramovic who had 15 points), he played a great game for them as well. Their whole team played extremely well.
“It was just high-level basketball that people could enjoy down to the wire. It was great entertainment, but it was also great basketball.”
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
‘God talking through (Steph Curry)’
Curry, Durant’s former teammate on the Golden State Warriors, had one of the best U.S. performances ever, finishing with 36 points while converting nine of his 14 3s and grabbing eight rebounds.
Curry was only in double figures one time through four Olympic games going into the night, but had 14 of the first 15 points for the Americans in only three minutes of action and carried it on the rest of the game, reminding everyone that he can be arguably the most enjoyable basketball player to watch ever when he has it going.
“Guys were looking for him,” Durant said. “His energy was high. He was shooting the ball, turning around. It was just a regular Steph game, and I think he was searching for that type of game the whole Olympics. To have it right here, especially when we needed it, it was special to see.
“It was God talking through him tonight.”
"This will forever go down as the Steph Curry game." ????????
The chef was COOKING in Team USA's comeback. ???????? #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/cRcdiJXM0L
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 8, 2024
Durant taking it all in with the ‘best team’ he’s been a part of
Durant said the team fed off Curry’s energy, as for the first time all Olympics, it was not really a balanced team effort for the U.S., but rather Curry, James and Embiid (and later Durant) carrying most of the load. James had the fourth-ever Olympic triple double with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, while Embiid added 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting and four rebounds, including a stretch of seven straight points in the fourth quarter.
“Joel was incredible, defensively, being aggressive, downhill, finishing,” Durant said. “(LeBron), I think he had a triple double. I mean, guys showcased who they are tonight. Defensively, we got guys that can pressure the ball. We got length, we can switch, we can do pretty much everything, and we showed that tonight in the fourth.”
LeBron James is the ONLY player with multiple triple-doubles in Olympic men's basketball history ???? pic.twitter.com/A3Z9mSdBPi
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 8, 2024
After the game, Durant and James shared emotional embraces with Curry, giving NBA fans a lot of nostalgia and gratefulness to see three of the best players ever have a moment like this.
“Special group of guys,” Durant said. “Time is winding down. We got one more game, and it’s kind of bittersweet. We are playing in the gold medal game with an opportunity to get another gold, but we’re not gonna be together once we finish here. It’s just a joy being in locker room with these guys and on the bus, talking life with these guys, and then hooping on the floor with them.
“This is the best team I’ve been a part of, and I want us to finish it off with a gold.
???????????? 1 more!! pic.twitter.com/AUSTn9WDFk
— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 8, 2024
Tomorrow’s game against France tips off at 12:30 p.m. MST, as Team USA will be looking for its fifth-straight gold medal. This matchup against France will be a rematch of the 2021 gold medal game in the Tokyo Olympics in which Durant had 29 points in a 87-82 U.S. victory.
Durant quotes via ESPN interview. Click here to watch.
Kevin Durant plays integral part in Team USA’s comeback win over Serbia
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
