Team USA holds off France and Wins Their 5th Straight Gold Medal

    Written by: Alex Gonzalez •

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    Steph Curry and Kevin Durant celebrating

    Another spectacular Olympic game was played between Team USA and Team France. France, like Serbia, gave the US a very impressive run but was unable to get the job done, as the US defeated France 98-87.

    France played a pretty spectacular game from start to finish. They held their own against one of the greatest teams ever assembled and cut the lead down to just three points at one point in the 4th quarter. They were led by the 20-year-old Victor Wembanyama, who had 26 points on an efficient 11-19 shooting. Another standout player for France was Guerschon Yabusele, a former Celtics player who put in 20 points of his own and a career highlight of dunking on LeBron. However, some things cost France this game, including differences between three-point shooting (9-30 for France and 18-36 for the USA) and fast break points where the US dominated. Another crucial mistake was France's inability to make free throws as they shot 10-17 from the line. Although it was disappointing not to get the gold, France would leave with its head held high, giving one of the great teams a run for its money.

    Again, just like against Serbia, it was the Steph Curry show in Paris, where he finished with 24 points, all 24 of which came from behind the arc (8-13). LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Devin Booker also contributed to the scoring, all pouring in double-digit points. Anthony Davis's impact from the bench was felt as he finished with ten rebounds, four blocks, and three steals. Team USA captured this victory through efficient shooting from the field (53.6%) and three-point range (50%). Also, the team's lockdown defense at the end forced both turnovers and bad shots from France. This was a team effort from the United States, and it shows on the box score. The incredibly talented Team USA was able to stave off France and win their 5th straight gold medal and the team's 8th gold out of the last nine Olympics.

    This gold medal is historic for a lot of reasons. First, Kevin Durant becomes the first player to win four Gold Medals in men’s Olympic history. Durant also became Team USA’s all-time leading scorer in this Olympic run. Another reason is this is Steph Curry’s first gold medal, adding another accolade to a very impressive career for the chef. Finally, silencing the critics after failing to make the finals match in the FIBA World Cup and then losing to Canada in the 3rd place match, this gold medal shows that Team USA is still king in the basketball world.

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