In an Olympic final where the Americans controlled the game from the start, it took a crucial shot from Steph Curry to seal the fifth consecutive gold medal. The French managed to come back from a double-digit deficit to within three points, but the Warriors’ star hit a key shot to put the game out of reach.
The final score of 98-87 was secured by three more big three-pointers from the legendary Steph, who effectively “put Paris to sleep.”
USA vs. France: The Game
With the energy of the home crowd and Victor Wembanyama making a strong impact, France showed in the first five minutes that they were going to compete evenly in the final. The Spurs’ star scored 7 points, helping France lead 11-10 at the 6-minute mark, but the lack of long-range shooting prevented the “Blues” from keeping up on the scoreboard.
Anthony Edwards brought scoring off the bench, allowing the USA to pull ahead 22-15 by the 11th minute, though a final burst from the hosts brought them within one at 25-24 by the 13th minute. From then on, not even Wembanyama’s presence could help the French. Curry hit his first three-pointer to make it 32-27 in the 15th minute, and with LeBron James bulldozing through, the USA established a double-digit lead.
The “Blues” shot just 3/16 from three-point range, but Yabusele managed to cut the deficit to 41-49 before halftime. Without successful long-range shooting, France couldn’t emulate the Serbian team’s success. The pattern didn’t change as France tried to rely on Wembanyama and Yabusele but couldn’t reduce the deficit below 9 points.
It wasn’t until Fournier hit some shots that France found a perimeter leader to pull them forward. De Colo cut the lead to 6 (66-72) at the end of the third quarter.
Unfortunately for France, Team USA had an answer every time they felt their opponents closing in. Durant hit a buzzer-beater for 77-68 in the 33rd minute, but Lesort brought France back to life by receiving key passes and reviving their hopes. A couple of transition plays fueled the French dreams, but at 82-79, it was Steph Curry’s time. Another three-pointer restored order, followed by three more that effectively put the French to bed. Wembanyama scored to make it 87-93, but with just 54 seconds remaining, it wasn’t enough.
Quarter Scores: 15-20, 41-49, 66-72, 87-98
