Joe McConnell
Steph Curry and LeBron James created fireworks as the United States captured its fifth consecutive gold medal after beating hosts France in Paris.
Curry scored 24 points to lead the team to a 98-87 victory in the final, while Kevin Durant, the first four-time gold medalist in Olympic basketball history, scored 15, as did Devin Booker.
And LeBron James, wearing metallic gold shoes that needed no explanation, scored 14 points, winning his fourth Olympic medal and third gold.
Victor Wembanyama, in his first Olympic final, stood out for France, scoring 26 points, while Guerschon Yabusele had 20.
The result was the same as three years ago in the gold medal final at the Tokyo Olympics, but for the French this defeat was even harder, because it was played on their home court in front of a fascinated nation.
Los Angeles Lakers star James opened the scoring with a dunk and then began helping his teammates with a no-look pass to Booker.
France, who lost the Tokyo final against the United States 87-82 three years ago, were determined not to give up on home soil.
Thanks to San Antonio Spurs’ Wembanyama, the first pick in the 2023 NBA draft, and Real Madrid’s Yabusele, France kept the score low for much of the first half and managed to test Durant and Booker in a couple of face-offs.
But the U.S. began to gain traction in the second quarter, when Golden State Warriors big Curry, whose 36 points led them past Nikola Jokic’s Serbia in a tight semifinal, began to find his way from beyond the arc.
Another 3-pointer by Jrue Holiday made it 49-41 just before halftime, and early in the second half Curry gave the United States a 56-43 lead with a corner shot.
In front of President Emmanuel Macron, France continued to fight, reducing the gap to 65-59 thanks to a three-pointer by Evan Fournier at the end of the third quarter, but James responded in kind and brought his score into double figures.
France did not give up in a very tense fourth quarter and eight unanswered points reduced the deficit to 82-79 thanks to a basket by Wembanyama with less than three minutes left.
But France failed to react and Curry hit three threes in the final two minutes to tie the game.
France will have another shot at basketball glory on Sunday, but the women’s team will be even more of a underdog than the mighty Americans, who haven’t lost at the Olympics since 1992 and are chasing an eighth consecutive gold medal.
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