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Paris Olympics: Stephen Curry leads Team USA out of 17-point hole to beat Serbia, reach gold medal game

Team USA will now take on Victor Wembanyama and France in the gold medal game on Saturday

ryan young
Staff writer

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Stephen Curry saved Team USA on Thursday night in Paris.

The Golden State Warriors star led the United States out of a huge 17-point hole to beat Nikola Jokić and Serbia 95-91 in their semifinals matchup in France. That officially sent the Americans back to the championship game, where they’ll attempt to win a fifth consecutive gold medal on Saturday.

Curry dropped an Olympic career-high 36 points in the win while hitting nine 3-pointers, which is the most any player has hit in a single game throughout the entire Olympics.

Curry went off almost immediately on Thursday, too. He dropped 14 of the first 15 points for the United States and hit his career high not even halfway through the first quarter. He had 17 points at the end of the first period, but the rest of Team USA shot just 1-of-8 from the field combined in the opening 10 minutes.

Serbia took full advantage of that lull, too. They took an 11-point lead at halftime, and kept their double-digit advantage well into the fourth while shutting down every American run.

Finally, it was Joel Embiid that sparked the push Team USA needed. He went on a quick 7-0 run of his own before a blocked shot set up a drive from LeBron James that finally tied the game up.

Curry then hit a huge 3-pointer, his ninth of the night, and then he and James each followed up with a layup to suddenly put the United States up by seven, which was its largest lead of the night at the time and enough to eventually push them to the four-point win.

Embiid finished with 19 points and four rebounds while shooting 8-of-11 from the field to go with Curry’s 36-point outing. James had a triple-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. They were the only three players to hit double figures for Team USA.

Bogdan Bogdanovic led Serbia with 20 points in the loss, which sent them into the bronze medal game against Germany on Saturday. Jokić added 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Aleksa Avramovic finished with 15 points.

France fended off Germany 73-69 in the other semifinal game on Thursday to earn a spot in the gold medal game. Guerschon Yabusele dropped 17 points to lead France, and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama had 11 points and seven rebounds to lift the French back to the gold medal game for a second consecutive Games. The United States beat France at the Tokyo Olympics to win a fourth straight gold.

Here's the full player stats from Team USA's dramatic victory:

See how the game unfolded below:

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  • Featured
    Ryan Young

    Exhale, America. For now.

    Click the photo to read more about Team USA's comeback win over Serbia from Dan Wetzel on the ground in Paris:

    PARIS, FRANCE - AUGUST 08: Stephen Curry #4 of Team United States reacts after his team's victory against Team Serbia during a Men's basketball semifinals match between Team United States and Team Serbia on day thirteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 08, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
    Click the photo to read more about Team USA's comeback win against Serbia. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
  • Ryan Young

    Serbia to take on Germany in bronze medal game

    Serbia and Germany will square off in the bronze medal game next on Saturday after the loss. Bogdan Bogdanovic led the Serbians with 20 points against Team USA, and Nikola Jokić finished with 17 points and 11 assists.

  • Ryan Young

    The Steph Curry game

    Steph Curry finished with 36 points while shooting 9-of-14 from behind the arc in the four-point win, both of which are Olympic career-highs for the Golden State Warriors star. He added eight rebounds and two assists, too.

    Joel Embiid finished with 19 points, and LeBron James added 16 points. They were the only other Americans to hit double figures.

  • Ryan Young

    Final: USA 95, Serbia 91

    After trailing by 17 points, the United States is headed to the gold medal game. Steph Curry and Team USA rallied all the way back to beat Serbia 95-91.

    They'll now take on France with a shot at what would be a fifth straight gold medal.

  • Ryan Young

    Stephen Curry for the lead

    Who else but Steph Curry. He just sank another 3-pointer, and then LeBron James and Curry followed it up with a pair of layups. The United States is suddenly up 91-86, it's largest lead of the night.

  • Ryan Young

    Joel Embiid on a 7-0 run, U.S. ties it up

    Joel Embiid is on a quick 7-0 run now and he just came up with a huge block on the defensive end to keep the United States within two points, which set up a quick drive from LeBron James to tie this game back up.

    It's 84-84 now with 3:39 left.

  • Ryan Young

    Finally, Kevin Durant has done something. Durant just drilled a 3-pointer from the wing and drew the foul from Nikola Jokić to get the ball back. That's Jokić's fourth foul, and cut the deficit back to eight points.

    Devin Booker then just sank a wide open 3-pointer from the top of the key to complete a six-point possession. We've got a five point game now.

  • Ryan Young

    Steve Kerr is running out of time here. Serbia leads by 11 now with 7:30 left in the game.

  • Ryan Young

    After 3: Serbia 76, United States 63

    After cutting it to six points, Serbia has erupted to close the third. Serbia suddenly leads by 13 again with just 10 minutes to go. Marko Guduric even drilled a wild 4-point play in the final minute to put the Serbians back up by double digits.

    If something doesn't change quickly, the United States' shot at a fifth straight gold medal will be gone.

  • Ryan Young

    The United States just cut it back to single digits after Stephen Curry's seventh 3-pointer of the night. Serbia leads 62-53 now with 6:29 left in the third quarter.

    The seven 3-pointers are the most made by any player in a single game so far in the Paris Olympics.

  • Halftime: Serbia 54, USA 43

    Team USA definitely has a game on its hands and an uphill climb in the second half. Steph Curry leads the U.S. with 20 points, the only player on the team in double figures. LeBron James has nine.

    Aleksa Avramovic has 15 for Serbia, followed by 12 from Bogdan Bogdanovic and nine for Nikola Jokic.

    Big question for the U.S.: Where is Kevin Durant? He has zero points and only took one shot in the first half.

  • Curry, Bogdanovic trade threes

    Steph Curry hits another 3 for Team USA to close the margin to 51–40. But Bogdan Bogdanovic responds with a 3 of his own. Serbia 54, USA 40.

    Curry has 20 for the U.S., shooting 6-for-9 on 3s.

  • Serbia kills any USA momentum

    Serbia answers with a 3 by Aleksa Avramovic to restore its lead to 13, 50–37.

  • Joel Embiid with a power dunk

    LeBron James hits a three, then gets a steal on the other end of the floor.

    That sets up Joel Embiid for a monster dunk past Filip Petrusev to once again cut Serbia's lead to 10 points, 47–37. Embiid has seven points.

  • Bogdanovic ends USA run

    Bogdan Bogdanovic hits a three to stop Team USA's rally. He has 12 points for Serbia, shooting 2-for-3 on his 3s.

  • USA on a 7–0 run

    The U.S. might be beginning its comeback, scoring seven straight points after a three by Joel Embiid.

  • Nikola Jokic makes plays on both ends of the court

    Nikola Jokic blocks LeBron James on the defensive end, gets the ball back at the top of the arc in transition, then drives the ball to the basket for a score and a foul.

    Jokic makes the free throw to give Serbia a 42–27 lead over USA. He has nine points with six assists

  • Ryan Young

    Serbia cruising early, up 39-25

    Serbia isn't slowing down in the second quarter. They've pushed their lead to 14 points now not even three minutes into the period.

    Steve Kerr just called a timeout. Not a great start with a spot in the gold medal game on the line.

  • Ryan Young

    After 1: Serbia 31, USA 23

    Serbia is up by eight after the first quarter despite a massive 10 minutes from Stephen Curry, who dropped 17 points while shooting 6-of-8 from the field. The rest of the United States shot a combined 1-of-8 from the field.

    Bogan Bogdanovic leads Serbia with nine points, and Nikola Jokić has six points and five assists early.

  • Ryan Young

    Steph Curry going off

    Stephen Curry has 14 of the first 15 points for the United States, and has already hit his career-high in an Olympic game. What a ridiculous start here in Paris.

  • Ryan Young

    The United States has won the tip, and we're off and running in Paris. The winner will take on France, who just beat Germany to earn a return trip to the gold medal game.

  • Yahoo Sports Staff

    It'll be Holiday, Curry, James, Booker, Embiid for Team USA

  • Yahoo Sports Staff

    Team USA is ready to go

  • USA-Serbia winner will play France for the gold medal

    France outlasted Germany, 73–69, in the other men's basketball semifinal. Guerschon Yabusele scored 17 for the winners, with Isaia Cordinier adding 16. Both players had seven rebounds.

    Dennis Schroder led Germany with a team-high 18 points, followed by 10 from Franz Wagner.

    The host country will face the winner of USA-Serbia in the gold medal game on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.