What to watch for in anticipated USA-France gold medal game

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• Paris Olympics coverage
• Gold Medal Game: USA vs. France (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET, NBC)

PARIS — The team with the greatest collection of basketball talent in the world will lose the popularity contest at the world’s biggest game, and it won’t be close. That much can be safely assumed Saturday inside Bercy Arena. 

As they traversed the globe for weeks in preparation for the ultimate goal, the American men were serenaded by fans and surrounded by security. And this followed them here, the site of the Olympics.

But that unmatched support ends rather abruptly at the gold medal game. While the French national team will trail badly in terms of NBA talent — and that won’t be close — the swell of emotion inside the players and throughout the arena will be with them.

So that’s what the Americans are up against … and as for France, it will be up against a basketball force that’s not only determined to win gold but even more fearful of losing it.

Like, can you begin to imagine if they did?

“You expect them to play the game of their lives,” said the USA’s Stephen Curry.

Going for Gold against the hosts.

#USABMNT vs France on Saturday (3:30 pm ET, NBC + Peacock). pic.twitter.com/Xjp4rMvf9Z

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 9, 2024

This could be the most anticipated competition of the entire Olympic Games, considering the star appeal of Team USA, the presence of Curry and LeBron James in what should be their last game as teammates, the next bold step in the promising basketball career of Victor Wembanyama, and just the microscopic chance that Goliath could topple.

“It’s very exciting to play France in Paris in the gold medal game,” said USA coach Steve Kerr. “It doesn’t get much better than this. Our guys love environments like these. It’s a big moment in everybody’s career. We’re really thrilled with the opportunity.”

France lost to the USA for the gold three years ago in Tokyo by just five points, although that was one of the weaker USA teams; blame the pandemic for that. Kevin Durant rescued the Americans with big shots and 29 points.

Here’s what to look for Saturday, and what’s at stake:

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Another legacy notch for LeBron 

He’s pushing 40 yet leads the USA in scoring, rebounds and assists and is coming off a triple-double in a tense, almost regrettable game against Serbia.

Did we mention he’s pushing 40?

This is LeBron’s team, remarkable in that it’s happening this late in his career. That’s what you take from the 2024 men’s team.

Assuming he wins a third gold medal, it could very well be the last major team championship of any kind for him. So he’s hyper-focused on that crowning achievement. Three golds and four NBA titles? Unreal.

1 more!! pic.twitter.com/AUSTn9WDFk

— LeBron James (@KingJames) August 8, 2024

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France changed up on the fly

This isn’t the same team from group play that required overtime to beat Japan, a country that didn’t even make it to the second week. Team France limped into Paris based on uninspiring play, and it called for change.

In a risky yet needed shakeup, coach Vincent Collet moved Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier to the second unit, risking backlash. The coach and Fournier had an unrelated philosophical disagreement that Fournier said was settled quickly.

So what happened? France beat Canada and Germany partly because Isaia Cordinier, a better defender than Fournier, and Guerschon Yabusele, better offensively than Gobert, seized the chance to have the performance of their lives. Cordinier’s unexpected scoring has actually matched the impact of his defense.

“It’s been very impressive to see their team evolve and change styles on the fly,” Kerr said. “They’re playing extremely hard. Very physical. We not only have to match that but exceed that.”

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KD is this close to another gold

The pursuit of an unprecedented fourth gold medal has become Durant’s basketball calling. He is more devoted to Team USA than anyone in history, never refusing a chance to wear the uniform, unlike other NBA stars. He’s also the greatest scorer in USA history regardless of gender.

It’s a long-winded way of saying KD is Mr. USA Basketball, a deserved title and one that won’t be easily surrendered anytime soon. What’s odd about the 2024 experience is him coming off the bench in every game. But in the moment of truth, in the heat of a tense fourth quarter in the semifinals against Serbia? KD was on the floor. Because, of course.

A night we'll never forget.

️ @KDTrey5 on the comeback win over Serbia

#USABMNT #Paris2024 #Basketball pic.twitter.com/FvSHf5hknY

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 8, 2024

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Watch for Wemby

The future of French basketball is now in the form of Wembanyama, who has his country in the gold medal game. It doesn’t get more fitting than that.

Wemby has been solid, if somewhat inconsistent, in these Games. His defense is bailing out his shooting slumps. But that’s all moot. At the very least, he’s leaving the Paris Games with a silver medal. If he were to somehow win, they might rename the Eiffel Tower in his honor.

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Embiid will hear it

On one end of the popularity spectrum for the gold medal game will be Wemby. On the other, Embiid. And the decibel level on Saturday for both will be seismic.

Embiid has reveled in it all, at least so far, poking fun at the noise and encouraging more of it. Well, he’ll get that wish against France and the country he declined to play for when mulling his Olympic choice.

“They’re going to boo me, I’m going to go back at them and tell them to (bleep) it,” Embiid said. “I’m going to have fun.”

Joel wasn't horsing around.

#USABMNT #Paris2024 #Basketball pic.twitter.com/FMsfopWCtl

— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) August 8, 2024

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USA will bring D

Aside from LeBron, the face of this team throughout the Olympics is hands — used to block shots, grab steals and rebound. 

Defense carried the USA because it was built with that in mind and the players have embraced it. Defense only failed them once — in the first three quarters against Serbia in the semifinals, when the Serbs couldn’t miss — but also saved them in the last three minutes of that game. 

“We will win because of defense,” Kerr said.

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France’s Collet can coach

France is positioned to win at least back-to-back Olympic silver medals partly because of Vincent Collet, the winningest national coach in France’s history.

It hasn’t been totally smooth; Collet’s tactics came under skepticism last year at the World Cup when France tapped out in the first round. This raised serious concerns about how the host country would do in the Paris Olympics. 

But his lineup shuffle saved this team from embarrassment and made the gold medal game possible.

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What about Tatum?

In the span of six weeks, Jayson Tatum has gone from an NBA championship high to becoming an internet meme — him wearing a stoic face on the bench at the Olympics. Twice, actually.

Despite the championship and First Team All-NBA selection, Tatum was held out of two Olympic games by Kerr. While Tatum has said all the right things about that, those who know him say he isn’t thrilled, even though a gold medal will go a long way to soothe feelings.

Kerr described his handling of Tatum as “a math problem.”

He explained further: “It’s hard to play 11 people. Our second unit was not great (in the semifinals against Serbia) but that group has been one of the bright spots of this team. Especially on the defensive end. So it’s not about what Jayson is doing or not doing. It’s just about combinations and the way that group has played together, the way Kevin (Durant) has filled in.”

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This is likely it for Batum

One of the greatest and most gracious players in his country’s history, Nicolas Batum will probably see his final taste of Olympic play, and if so there’s no better way to exit than with a silver or gold from Paris.

Batum is on his third Olympic team. His blocked shot just before the buzzer in the 2021 semifinals sent France to the gold medal game.

“This will be special, not only for me and my teammates, but for all of France,” Batum said.

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USA dominance is undeniable

From a historical perspective, this sport is the USA’s pride and the country’s signature event at the Olympics. Although the USA women have never lost in Olympic play, they haven’t seen their competition develop as rapidly as the men.

And even with that, aside from 2004, the men’s gold medal has come home ever since the Olympics turned to professionals. 

“There’s pressure, but with the group we have, the way we all approach basketball, we’re all here to win,” Curry said. “It shows up in the work. We have a lot of good energy around our team.

“We all signed up for this, to accomplish a mission,” Curry said. “We have to answer the call of what it’s going to mean to win one more game. It’s my one chance to get it done.”

France will own the crowd and be motivated to stun the basketball world. That, and also this: International basketball sometimes brings out the best in players in other countries who otherwise might struggle to have reasonably solid NBA careers.

Ask Kerr how many of those players turn into Superman in the Olympics and he says: “A lot of them.”

One of them might deliver for France on Saturday. But only one team is bringing multiple NBA greats.

“You have to expect them to play great, but you expect us to do that as well,” Curry said. “I think (the semifinals) will help us to deal with the adversity. We got to be able to handle the emotions of it all.”