Whereas no Staff USA participant needs to be remembered for lacking out on a gold medal, the expertise could be worse for Stephen Curry, who is probably going concerned in his solely Olympics at age 36, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. The popularity of the 2004 bronze medal workforce was among the many ideas going via Curry’s head when the U.S. confronted a double-digit deficit towards Serbia within the semifinals. The Individuals had been in a position to rally for a 95-91 victory, however the identical stress will return at the moment within the gold medal recreation towards France.
“I got here into this expertise considering that this might be my one and solely time to play within the Olympics and expertise this stage,” Curry mentioned. “In order that was a part of my sense of aid and pleasure (within the recreation). I didn’t wish to be on the workforce that, (like) ’04, didn’t make it to the gold-medal recreation and get a gold medal in my one alternative right here. So that you’re desirous about (all that) whilst you’re nonetheless simply making an attempt to have enjoyable taking part in the sport that you already know. It’s an fascinating dynamic, as a result of all of us signed up for this, to perform a mission, and we’re one recreation away from doing it.”
As we speak’s matchup would be the very first street recreation for Staff USA, which can attempt to seize the gold in entrance of a hostile crowd in Paris. France has benefited from the rabid fan assist, Amick provides, together with a lineup change that sparked upsets over Canada and Germany on the way in which to the gold medal contest.
Coach Vincent Collet determined to bench Rudy Gobert and play Victor Wembanyama at middle, whereas inserting Guerschon Yabusele and Isaia Cordinier into the beginning lineup. France has regarded significantly better over the previous two video games, and that’s with out a dominant efficiency from Wembanyama, who’s capturing simply 6-of-27 since knockout play started.
“You count on them to play the sport of their life, as a result of they’re gonna have the house court docket adrenaline (and) they’re using massive momentum after these final two video games,” Curry mentioned. “You’ve obtained to count on them to play nice, however we count on that from ourselves as properly.”
There’s extra from Paris:
- Gobert logged 9 complete minutes up to now two video games, however Collet indicated that his function may improve towards the taller U.S. workforce, per Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops. “Clearly, Rudy would like to play extra,” Collet mentioned. “However clearly, for the second, this adjustment allowed us to play higher in these two video games. However then again, the playing cards will be very redistributed on Saturday. Completely different matchups, with groups with totally different profiles.”
- Evan Fournier is among the many French gamers with expertise in going through Staff USA, beating them within the 2019 FIBA World Cup and shedding a decent recreation for the Olympic gold medal three years in the past in Tokyo, notes Aris Barkis of Eurohoops. He’s wanting ahead to at the moment’s gold medal rematch. “I feel we all know that France has a number of potential, however the potential has obtained to go on the court docket,” Fournier mentioned. “We now have to have the ability to play workforce basketball.”
- Wembanyama has been among the many most seen athletes on the Olympics, with Nike adverts within the Paris subways and an enormous picture of him positioned on scaffolding within the metropolis, per Jeff Zillgitt and Kim Hjelmgaard of USA As we speak. It’s an excessive quantity of stress for a 20-year-old who’s anticipated to be the way forward for each French and NBA basketball. Wembanyama talked this week about having a “feeling of accountability” as he tries to ship the nation’s first-ever gold in Olympic basketball.
