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2024 Paris Olympics

Stephen Curry hits 8 3-pointers, Team USA wins 5th-straight gold medal with 98-87 victory over France

© Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

The United States men’s basketball team has won its fifth-straight Olympic gold medal with a 98-87 victory over host-country France to close out the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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Stephen Curry cashed in four of his eight 3-pointers in the last three minutes of the game to seal the victory for the U.S., as Curry finished with a team-high 24 points to go along with five assists and two steals to get his first gold medal.

This was a rematch of the gold medal game in Tokyo in 2021, which the U.S. won 87-82 behind 29 points from Kevin Durant. This was Team USA’s fourth overall time playing and defeating France in the gold medal game (2021, 2000, 1948) and is the U.S. men’s basketball team’s 17th gold medal in Olympic history.

Team USA went with a new starting lineup of Curry, Devin Booker, Durant, LeBron James and Joel Embiid, as Durant replaced Jrue Holiday as a starter. Holiday, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis all played off the bench, while Derrick White and Tyrese Haliburton saw no action.

Booker started the game off hot for the U.S. with 13 of his 15 points coming in the first half, as he also ended with six rebounds and three assists. Durant, who becomes the first men’s Olympic basketball player to have four gold medals, also notched 15 points, as well as four assists, four rebounds, a steal and a block. James, who was named the MVP of the Olympics, had another double-double of 14 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, two steals and a block. Davis was big off the bench with eight points, nine rebounds (six offensive) and four blocks.

Victor Wembanyama had a performance to remember for France, as the 20-year-old finished with a game-high 26 points on 11-of-19 shooting and seven rebounds. Guerschon Yabusele continued to come up big for France with 20 points on 6-of-14 shooting. Nando De Colo had 10 of his 12 points in the second half for the French, who forced 17 U.S. turnovers.

France played very well, but its 9-of-30 shooting from 3 compared to the U.S. 18-of-36 clip proved to be a big difference. Here’s how the action unfolded:

Game Flow

Both teams looked very determined to get the gold medal, and there were a lot of fireworks early in front of a raucous crowd. Wembanyama had seven of France’s first 11 points, while Booker scored seven of Team USA’s first 12 points in the first five minutes. Edwards came in and gave the U.S. even more of a spark, scoring six points in four minutes, as the U.S. took a 20-15 lead going into the second quarter. France only went 1-for-9 from 3 in the first quarter, as both teams cooled down a bit offensively after a hot start.

After Davis started the quarter with four straight points for the U.S., France went on an 8-0 run to take a 25-24 lead three minutes into the period. The game remained close throughout the quarter, but Booker continued to give a huge spark to Team USA when he subbed in, quickly getting into double figures and helping the U.S. regain the lead. Late in the period, Booker hit an and-one layup in transition to give the U.S. its first double-digit lead, 46-36 with 1:32 to go in the half.

At halftime, the U.S. was ahead 49-41, as Booker had a team-high 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, while James  (7 points), Curry (6 points), Durant (6 points) and Edwards (6 points) all had over five points. The U.S shot 50% from the floor, assisting on 15 of their 19 made shots and went 9-for-20 from 3. Yabusele had 15 points for France and Wembanyama recorded 13, as no other French player had more than four. France was 17-for-38 (45%) from the floor, but 3-for-16 (19%) from 3 in the first half.

Curry had two early 3s in the third quarter, as the United States took its then-largest lead of the game at 61-47 with 6:57 to go in the period. France would not let the Americans pull fully ahead, as Wembanyama remained hot and a quick 6-0 France spurt made it 65-59 with 3:05 to go in the quarter. The U.S. was then able to extend the lead to double digits again, but France once again scored a quick five points to end the quarter, and Team USA was up 72-66 heading into the fourth, even with having seven team turnovers in the quarter.

The U.S. would not let France within six to start the fourth quarter. A Holiday 3 gave the Americans another 11-point lead, 80-69, with seven minutes left. However, Team USA could not get the lead over 11, as France cut it back down to five, 82-77, with under four minutes remaining. Wembanyama made it a three-point game with a dunk with three minutes remaining in the game. Curry responded with a 3-pointer on the next possession and then Durant made two free throws after being fouled on a defensive rebound, putting the U.S. ahead 87-79 with 2:22 remaining.

After De Colo made a layup, Curry hit another 3 and Batum answered back with a 3 of his own. On the very next possession, Booker found Curry for his third-straight 3-pointer to put the U.S. ahead 93-84 with 1:18 to go. Wembanyama cashed a 3 on the next possession for France, but then Curry iced the game with a step-back 3-pointer over two defenders. Booker closed the game with an easy layup in transition with 20 seconds remaining, and the United States won 98-87.

Report: Kevin Durant to start Team USA’s gold medal game against France

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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

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