Curry’s shooting helps America surpass Serbia, set for gold medal game

The signature performance from future Hall-of-Famer Steph Curry didn’t come until the semifinals for Team USA. As everybody waited, it was a matter of when and never a matter of if.

Curry shined as part of a, 95-91, win for the Americans over Serbia Thursday, Aug. 8 from Bercy Arena in Paris. With the win, this year’s men’s national team moves on to the gold medal game while Serbia will compete for bronze.

Thursday’s meeting marked the third meeting between the two countries in the last two weeks.

Curry scored the first five points of the game for the US and it wouldn’t take long before he racked up three made three-pointers in the first quarter. After the opening frame, he’d have 17 points with five made threes.

Even with that, Serbia put its thumb on the international powerhouse early. This came on a 12-3 run by the Serbians on their way to going up by as many as 16 points.

Ultimately, the United States trailed for more than 35 minutes in this one after entering play having been on the scoreboard for just 16 minutes and 39 seconds through the first four games.

Heading into the fourth quarter, Team USA found itself down 13 points to the Nikola Jokic-led Serbs. Early in the final 10-minute session, it made its run and eventually tied the game after two separate 7-0 runs.

Curry would give the red, white and blue the lead late in the fourth on another made three. He’d later ice the game with a pair of free throws.

In his summer-defining performance, Curry led all scorers with a sizzling 36 points with nine made threes.

Slowing Serbia down on the offensive end was just as vital if not more than Curry’s spectacular shooting. Through the first 30 minutes of play, Team USA had allowed 15 made threes but would not allow one in the fourth quarter.

Moreover, Serbia was up 15 points with 11 seconds left in the third quarter and would be up as many as 13 in the fourth quarter.

Guard Bogdan Bogdanovic led his team with 20 points while the aforementioned Jokic chipped in with 17 points, 11 assists and five rebounds.

US forward LeBron James became the first man to record triple-doubles in two games during a single Olympic run. In this one he put up 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

Center Joel Embiid scored five straight points in the fourth quarter as part of that comeback effort with Curry. Embiid had his best outing of the summer with 19 points on 8-of-11 from the field.