For so many years they have been at the top of basketball, gone through everything, earned hundreds of millions of dollars, won team and individual titles - but LeBron James and Stephen Curry could not hide their great excitement and pride last Thursday night, after the victory of the United States team over Serbia in the semi-finals of the Olympic tournament.
The United States team went through quite a few stressful moments against Serbia, but in the end won 91:95 after a tremendous turnaround in the last quarter, in which the Americans won 15:32. Stephen Curry gave a tremendous performance that included 36 points (9 of 14 from three), 8 rebounds and quite a few important baskets, LeBron James once again led the game and finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists - and in the bottom line, Curry, LeBron and Kevin Durant scored all of the USA's last 13 points, in the moment of truth, in a game in which the USA trailed for nearly 36 minutes.
Joel Embiid was also dominant in the second half (19 total points on 8-of-11 from the field), in which the USA erased a 17-point deficit after a simply amazing first half by the Serbs. The USA will now face France in the final, while Germany and Serbia will fight for the bronze.
At the end of the game, LeBron James and Steph Curry put their heads together in great joy. Also for the victory, also for securing the medal, also for the fact that they avoided a big embarrassment - but also for personal pride, that at their age and status they are still so dominant. Those who were great rivals for years, with the streak of the finals between Cleveland and Golden State in the previous decade, enjoy cooperating, and winning - finally together, on the same team, on the biggest stage.
"Steph, with all due respect to Serbia, but in the end we overcame it," said LeBron at the end, "Chef Kerry gave a game like in his great days, Embiid gave us big minutes, and we needed it."
Paris 2024 has already offered many emotions and surprises, but this evening in the Bercy Arena there was a real risk that the most sensational one would occur. The USA, the so-called Dream Team (let the players of the real one from 1992 not be offended), against an irreducible Serbia led by Jokic were one step away from the abyss, from an elimination which, as Michael Jordan said before these Games began, it would have prevented America's superstars from returning home.
The Serbs, tough people to whom the USA, with a bit of arrogance, conceded a lot by defending without due attention in too many circumstances, were one step away from the memorable feat, and they complain about the fact that they had the advantage for 76-63, therefore by 13 points, at the end of the third quarter and of having wasted such a margin by conceding +17 in ten minutes. So in the end they were defeated 95-91.
To put the stamp on the American comeback, two deadly counterattacks, concluded with as many baskets from underneath, by Lebron James and Stephen Curry, the latter author, shortly before, of the overtaking with a triple with 2'21" from the end that had led the USA leading 87-86 after having always been practically behind.
In short, basketball may have changed, the general level in the world has increased and America is no longer so far away, but we can get away with this match, which ended with such a margin. small for the Americans, to that of the group stage, when the USA had won 110-84 against Serbia. A sign that they did not pay due attention here for at least two quarters of the game, that Curry forced too many shots and that someone, like Kevin Durant, limited by physical problems, cannot give 100%, as we saw today too.
Furthermore, Joel Embiid, who was heavily booed today too because he preferred to play with Lebron and his associates rather than with France, goes with alternating current and at the end of the match he tarnished his performance with an ugly gesture (his hands close to his genitals) which he addressed to the public as he left the field. Now the NBA superstars will return to their lives, free to do what they want in Paris when they are not training or playing, but on Saturday there is a final against the home team and an entire nation, and without maximum attention something unthinkable, playing like tonight, it could really happen.
