Kevin Durant says Steph played one of the greatest games he's ever seen Curry play. KD also addresses key lessons learned, the final vs. France, the national divide in the USA and how sports can unite people.
Team USA was on the brink of missing their fifth consecutive Olympic final, but when it mattered most, their superstar trio of Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant stepped up, leading the team to a narrow 95-91 semifinal victory over Serbia at Bercy Arena.
| Player of the Game | |
|
EFF
38
|
| Stephen Curry | |
| Points | 36 |
| Accuracy | 12-19 |
| Rebounds | 8 |
| Assists | 2 |
Durant, who had struggled to score until the end of the third quarter, came alive in the fourth, finishing the game with 9 points. His clutch mid-range jumper with 34 seconds left extended Team USA's lead to four points (93-89), sealing the win.
"I mean, I had two fouls, so I didn't play much, and I felt like I was floating in and out of the game," KD reflected on his performance. "When I was in there, they did a good job of playing the zone and throwing us off a bit, but I just tried to help defensively, and I was able to knock a couple [shots] down."
Durant also emphasized the key lesson from the game:
"We can play any type of style of basketball," he underlined. "We're the best team in the world defensively when we lock in. Obviously, we're good at making shots, but we played a full-team game in the fourth quarter and were able to get a W."
Joel Embiid also played a crucial role, scoring 19 points, seven of them in the fourth quarter. Durant praised Embiid's journey, as he had initially struggled to adapt to FIBA basketball but had now become a dominant force.
"Incredible. He showed why he's one of the greatest ever to touch a basketball," Durant praised his teammate. "He was finishing over the rim, knocking down shots, putting those guys in foul trouble. He was incredible tonight."
Another incredible guy was Steph Curry. The latter made nine three-pointers and totaled for 36 points, just shy of Carmelo Anthony's records.
"Steph, man... That was a godlike performance," Durant marveled. "That was tough because he felt like he was struggling throughout the whole tournament. And we always said each night it could be somebody different. And tonight, he showed up. God was with him tonight. He was with us tonight, a true Steph -- shot after shot, getting a steal at the end, finishing with the layup. He was everywhere. It was one of the greatest games I've ever seen him play."
Kevin Durant
| Team: |
Phoenix Suns USA |
| Position: | PF |
| Age: | 35 |
| Height: | 211 cm |
| Weight: | 109 kg |
| Birth place: | Washington, United States of America |
Looking ahead, Team USA will face France in the gold-medal game on Saturday.
It will be a Tokyo Olympic final repeat. In that 2021 encounter, the USA defeated France 87-82 and won the fourth gold medal in a row.
"It's going to be a tough test, especially in here. They play with confidence, they switch their lineup," Durant assessed. "They got Isaia Cordinier, he came in and played incredible basketball. You already know what [Evan] Fournier, Wemby, and those guys can do. Him [Wembanyama] and [Guerschon] Yabusele have been playing some great ball.
"So we got our work cut out for us, especially here. It's going to be the loudest it's ever been, probably the loudest crowd I've played in FIBA. So I'm looking forward to it."
Durant is a two-time NBA champion, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and has pretty much won everything in his career. Still, the pride of representing Team USA is huge for him, especially with his country currently divided over the upcoming presidential elections.
"I love representing my country. We all love representing our country. You see the pride about your country when you come to play in the Olympics," he said. "You see the pride that Serbia has for their country. You see fans singing the national anthem throughout the game. You play Brazil, you see their fans and the pride they have for their country.
"We love playing for our country, and a lot of bullshit goes on in our country, too. But there's a lot of great things that come from where we come from. So we love that," he continued. "We love the brotherhood that comes with the USA Basketball. These experiences -- we're going to remember them for the rest of our lives. So, we want to lock in and make the most of it."
Durant concluded by reflecting on the power of sports to unite people: "I mean, there's so much divide in our country. There's so much divide in the world that sports is an opportunity for us to all come together and compete. At the end of the day, we all can go home and respect the game that we played tonight. Both countries."
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USA vs. Serbia highlights:
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