(Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Team USA men’s basketball is now just one win away from winning an Olympic gold medal by defeating Serbia on Thursday, but it wasn’t exactly easy.
It trailed by as many as 17 points and looked to be on its way to a surprising upset loss, but it staged a furious fourth-quarter rally to prevail 95-91.
Melissa Rohlin said on Fox Sports 1’s “Speak” that this game almost turned into a loss for the United States because it “thought this would be a cakewalk.”
.@melissarohlin explains why Team USA barely beat Serbia in the Semifinals today:
“They thought this would be a cake walk.” pic.twitter.com/LD8DC6Vugo
— Speak (@SpeakOnFS1) August 8, 2024
Team USA had defeated Serbia twice before, first in an exhibition game and then in group play, so it would’ve been natural for it to think this would be a somewhat easy win.
But once an Olympic team is in the semifinal round and much more is at stake, it will play with a much greater sense of urgency, sensing that the gold medal is within striking distance.
Team USA needed Stephen Curry to help rescue them with 36 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:24 left in the fourth quarter and the two free throws that ensured victory with eight seconds remaining.
It was proof that Curry, a four-time NBA champion, is one of the most clutch players in all of basketball.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was second on the team in scoring with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field, which was one of his few strong performances in the Olympics.
The United States will now take on France, which boasts Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert, for the gold medal on Saturday.
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