Exhilarating drama, a dream basketball final, and a profound sporting lesson

USA's Steph Curry and Kevin Durant celebrate after a basket during the Men's basketball semifinals match against Serbia at Bercy Arena. Picture: Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Olympic semi-final: USA 95 Serbia 91

Blue binds them. They must come together. Antoine Dupont and Léon Marchand made their bids to become the poster boy of the Olympics but now the front pages of the Paris newspapers herald the march of the tribes. To rule this week, it takes a team.

Two damn good ones will meet in the men’s basketball gold medal match after an enthralling Thursday night at the Bercy Arena. First France beat Germany 73-69, despite being down by ten on several occasions. The same stadium hosted both semi-finals in two distinct instalments, emptying the bleachers and filling them back up for fear of overindulgence on a wonderous thing. It proved a shrewd move as the USA overcame a dogged Serbia 95–91 after trailing by 13 points at the start of the final quarter.

They now have history on their side. One more win would deliver a fifth consecutive gold medal. France have a nation behind their backs. In typical Olympic fashion, that has become the theme of the week. “Teams Solides,” announced the L’Equipe’s morning headline. Two strong teams were on display side-by-side with the men’s volleyball and women’s basketball lauded after their respective semi-final and quarter-final victories. They duly rejoice.

Caring this much is a double-sided coin. For there to be such a national payoff there must be a price. Sport can’t live without that currency. Le Parisien spelt out each side in their banner: “Si Beau, Si Cruel.” What precisely was so beautiful, so cruel? The men’s handballers were edged out by three in their quarter-final against Germany.

Maybe Friday’s leads will be about the wonder that is Victor Wembanyama. He was the number one NBA draft pick last year; he is the 2024 Rookie of the Year. A 7-foot-4 alien who is already being touted as the future face of the league. Here is a glorious opportunity to establish an early legacy in the vicinity of his hometown Chesnay, a small suburb west of Paris.

Further afield the face of triumph will be Steph Curry. Finally, after much talking head discussion and debate, he has arrived in Paris. The Golden State Warriors whiz shook off a patchy form to hit 36 magnificent points, one shy of Carmelo Anthony's single-game U.S. Olympic scoring record. Anthony was courtside on the night, wrenched to his feet by the magnetic force of genius in front of him.

They are both fitting figures to command centre stage. They are both significant chapters in a much bigger story. In truth, Wembanyama struggled in the semi-final. 11 total points and seven rebounds in just under 32 minutes is a poor return for a player of such profound talent. He shot 4/17 from the field and 1/8 from behind the arc.

Curry did keep them in touch throughout the opening two quarters. Just. At one point in the first half Serbia led by 17 points, the biggest deficit the US have endured in a game since 2004. He was awesome. America needed more.

Serbia's Nikola Jokic questions a call during a men's quarterfinal game against Australia at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

That defined two strangely similar demonstrations of absolute defiance. To the soundtrack of Allez les Bleus, Guerschon Yabusele led the way with 17 points. Four different players scored in the double-digits. 10 players had at least one assist. In the third quarter, German point guard Dennis Schröder drove to the basket and was swarmed by three ravenous defenders. Every single subsequent beat was magnificent. A roar for the turnover, a double-doink as Evan Fournier pulled up and drilled a three-pointer off the rim, a collective French chuckle that echoed around the ground at the magnificence of it all.

Steve Kerr’s team needed more than Curry. Joel Embiid, who was eligible to play for France, walked out in front of an absurdly hostile crowd and produced his best career performance. LeBron James had a triple-double and was a leader of men. Hall of Famer Kevin Durant had scored just two points with seven minutes left and his country 11 points down. He stepped forward with a pivotal three while Anthony Davis crashed into his knee because of a Nikola Jokić foul.

Jokić is a three-time MVP. The best player on the planet. That isn’t enough. His foul meant meant the USA regained possession. With one shot, Devin Brooker doubled his points tally. In the battle of individual versus collective, more often than not the collective will triumph. America should be any reasonable metric be the dominant force in Olympic basketball. It remains good for the competition that they could only do it by effectively combining forces.

So many strands merge to make it the ultimate showpiece on Saturday night. A final that has history and rivalry and stars and spite. A cohort of current and future greats who understand they have to give to get.

To the credit, if Curry and Wembanyama do command the spotlight after this, they made sure to articulate the creed that helped get them there.

"This is the most fun I've had in a very long time,” Curry said post-match. “To dig deep like we did with this group and get a win, it is special."

As Wembanyama stood over a late free throw, the weight of a nation was on his shoulders and a streak of blood stretched from his collar to his neck. Afterwards, he was asked about it by the media. La Marseillaise was on his mind.

“In our national anthem, we talk about blood,” the 20-year-old said.

“We’re willing to spill blood on the court. So, it is no big deal. If it allows us to win gold, I’m offering. Take all of it.”