Team USA comes back from 17-point deficit to survive Serbia, advances to the gold medal game

Samuel Joseph, CNN

PARIS, France (CNN) — Team USA connected Thursday had to nutrient a breathtaking comeback to conclusion Serbia 95-91 and beforehand to nan men’s hoops golden badge game.

Serbia — led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić — led by 17 points astatine 1 shape during nan 2nd 4th but saw its lead evaporate against nan supercharged discourtesy of nan US.

Two of nan sport’s biggest names, LeBron James and Steph Curry, led nan comeback pinch immoderate clutch buckets down nan agelong arsenic nan defending Olympic champion avoided what would person been an all-time upset.

Team USA will return connected big federation France successful nan golden badge crippled connected Saturday.

James posted only nan 4th triple-double successful Olympic history, while Curry had by acold his champion capacity of nan Games, starring each scorers pinch 36 points.

After failing to badge astatine nan World Cup past year, nan US assembled a roster that tin beryllium considered a “who’s who” of NBA players; nan squad features 4 NBA MVP winners and 11 All-Stars.

Team USA has occasionally showed a deficiency of cohesion connected some sides of nan shot that mightiness beryllium expected from a squad afloat of ball-dominant superstars. However, it has been capable to rustle distant opponents truthful acold acknowledgment to its incredibly talented and heavy offense.

It appeared arsenic though nan US would streak up successful nan first quarter, arsenic Golden State Warriors prima Curry drained 5 triples and scored 17 points successful only 8 minutes.

Serbia, though, had different plans and besides came retired connected occurrence from down nan arc, making 5 threes and shooting 65% from nan section arsenic a squad successful nan opening period. It besides disappointment Team USA pinch swarming defense passim nan game, forcing nan stars to settee for heavy attempts and keeping them retired of nan paint.

The American squad is afloat of scorers who thrive successful isolation and it grounded to make galore cleanable looks during nan first half, struggling to support up pinch a Serbian broadside that was shooting lights retired astatine nan different end.

The Europeans’ lead had ballooned to 17 midway done nan 2nd 4th and Team USA was firmly connected upset watch.

Late USA comeback

Some bully shotmaking from nan likes of Curry, Jrue Holiday and Joel Embiid – still receiving ample boos from nan Paris crowd aft opting to play for nan US complete France – trim nan lead to six successful nan third, but Jokić and institution were wished to support their opponents astatine an arm’s length.

A immense and-one connected a three-pointer from defender Marko Gudurić highlighted different beardown play for nan Serbs, who headed into nan 4th pinch a 13-point lead.

However, this American squad of “Avengers” mightiness conscionable beryllium inevitable.

An Embiid bucket made it a one-possession crippled pinch conscionable complete 4 minutes to go, earlier a vintage driving layup for James tied nan crippled astatine 84.

Soon after, a clutch Curry 3 gave nan US its first lead since nan 4th infinitesimal of nan matchup. Bogdan Bogdanović converted an and-one to support things absorbing successful nan closing stages, but Kevin Durant, now Team USA’s all-time starring Olympic scorer, iced nan crippled pinch a important midrange changeable pinch 34 seconds left.

James posted 16 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists, while Embiid scored 19. Bogdanović led nan measurement for Serbia pinch 20, pinch Jokić adjacent down pinch 17.

A conflict for nan ages ended successful conclusion for Serbia, who will return connected Germany for nan bronze medal.

For Team USA, it was an almighty scare that mightiness person proved that this squad of superstars isn’t unbeatable aft all. For France and its location support, that mightiness beryllium each it needs to believe.