Nicolas Batum (2nd L) of France vies for the ball during the men's basketball semifinal game between France and Germany at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)
PARIS, Aug. 8 (Xinhua) -- Hosts France edged off world champions Germany 73-69, and the United States came back from 17-point deficit to beat Serbia 95-91 in the men's basketball semifinals here on Thursday.
France and the U.S. will now face each other in a repeat of the final of the Tokyo Olympics, which the U.S. won 87-82.
Germany started with a 12-2 run to lead throughout the first half, until Victor Wembanyama's dunk tied the game for the first time on 33-33 to end the second quarter.
Coming back from the locker room, the two teams began to exchange baskets as the game was tied three times and the lead changed three times in the third quarter, which ended 56-50 in favor of France.
Mathias Lessort's layup in the paint gave France the first 10-point lead in the game on 63-53, and France still led 69-65 with one minute to go.
Franz Wagner chipped in a crucial 3-pointer to cut it to 70-68 with 38.6 seconds left, but he fell after grabbing a defensive rebound and France regained possession.
France made 3-out-of-4 free-throws and Germany made one down the stretch, while Dennis Schroder's desperate mid-court 3-pointer bounced high.
Guerschon Yabusele had 17 points and seven rebounds while Isaia Cordinier added 16 points and seven rebounds for France. Schroder had 18 points.
"It's what you dream of when you're a kid," said France's Rudy Gobert. "I remember, like it's today, like it was yesterday, dreaming about seeing myself playing in the final at home in the Olympics. And now we're here. Let's enjoy this win and get ready for a battle."
Stephen Curry scored 14 of the U.S.'s first 15 points and 17 overall in the first quarter to keep his side in the game as Serbia led 31-23.
Serbia used another 11-2 run to kick off the second quarter and extended the lead to 42-25, the biggest lead for the World Cup finalists.
Trailing by 54-43, the U.S. cut the deficit to single-digits several times, but their shabby defense let out more points as Serbia led 76-63 to enter the decisive fourth quarter.
The 13-point gap was cut short to five less than three minutes into the last period as Kevin Durant and Devin Booker made consecutive 3-pointers for 78-73, and LeBron James' layup tied it at 84-84 with 3:39 minutes to go.
Curry's 3-pointer gave the U.S. their first lead on 87-86, and an 8-0 run put the defending champions ahead 91-86 with 1:46 minutes left.
Curry, who scored 36 points, made two crucial free-throws with 8.2 seconds left to give the U.S. an unsinkable lead, as they seek their fifth consecutive men's basketball Olympic gold medal. ■
Dennis Schroder (L) of Germany attempts a penetration during the men's basketball semifinal game between France and Germany at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)
Dennis Schroder (C) of Germany launches an attack during the men's basketball semifinal game between France and Germany at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)
Dennis Schroder (front) of Germany attempts a penetration during the men's basketball semifinal game between France and Germany at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)
Victor Wembanyama (R) of France launches an attack during the men's basketball semifinal game between France and Germany at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)
LeBron James (R) of the United States vies for the rebound during the men's basketball semifinal game between the United States and Serbia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)
LeBron James (R) of the United States vies with Nikola Jokic of Serbia during the men's basketball semifinal game between the United States and Serbia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Meng Yongmin)
Kevin Durant (R, front) of the United States blocks the layup attempt by Nikola Milutinov of Serbia during the men's basketball semifinal game between the United States and Serbia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Chen)
Vasilije Micic (4th R) of Serbia attempts a penetration during the men's basketball semifinal game between the United States and Serbia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Chen)
Devin Booker (L) of the United States vies with Vasilije Micic of Serbia during the men's basketball semifinal game between the United States and Serbia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Chen)
Kevin Durant (R, front) of the United States vies with Nikola Jokic of Serbia during the men's basketball semifinal game between the United States and Serbia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 8, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhang Chen)
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