Key events
And it’s gold for the US women in the 4×4. By a long way.
The track and field team have done their part for the medal haul. Over to you, LeBron and company.
But the medal count is one thing – this is, as I said in the preamble, a game we should savor. It could be a classic.
Medal count
The USA have overwhelmingly won the total medal count in these Olympics, and any weighted system that counts golds more than silvers or bronzes will also favor the 2028 host nation.
But we’re told that only gold medals matter for some reason. Apparently, no one told Shelby McEwen, who agreed to a jumpoff after tying for first in the high jump and wound up taking silver.
The USA trail China by two gold medals, 38-36. China only have a reasonable shot at two more – they’re in the finals of women’s middleweight boxing (later today), and they’re favored in women’s heavyweight weightlifting (tomorrow).
That means the USA will have to take advantage of their remaining opportunities. This is one of those opportunities. The others are the track cycling women’s omnium, the women’s volleyball final, the women’s 76kg wrestling final, and the women’s basketball final.
But first, the women’s 4x400m relay, which should end right before this game starts. If they get on with it.
Who’s who
FRANCE
The veterans are captain and small forward Nicolas Batum (age 35, Philadelphia), point guard Andrew Albicy (34, Herbalife Gran Canaira/ESP), center Rudy Gobert (32, Minnesota) and shooting guard Nando de Colo (37, LDLC ASVEL/FRA).
Other NBA players: Wembanyana (San Antonio), Evan Fournier (Detroit), Bilal Coulibaly (Washington). The latter is the youngest on the team at age 19.
USA
LeBron James (L.A. Lakers) is 39, and it doesn’t show. Stephen Curry, the captain, is 36. Kevin Durant (Phoenix) is 35, Jrue Holiday (Boston) is 34, and Joel Embiid (Philadelphia) and Derrick White (Boston) are both 30.
Coach Steve Kerr has controversially kept Jayson Tatum (Boston) on the bench for a lot of the tournament. Tyrese Halliburton (Indiana) also has seen scant playing time.
Stat leaders (per game)
FRANCE
Points
Wembanyama 13.8
Yabusele 12.8
Cordinier 10.6
Fournier 10.2
Rebounds
Wembanyama 10.2 (second among all teams)
Gobert 4.2
Assists
Wembanyama 3.6
Batum 2.4
Blocks
Wembanyama 2.0 (first)
Gobert 1.6 (sixth)
Batum 1.0
Steals
Wembanyama 2.2 (first)
Cordinier 1.4
USA
Points
James 14.2
Edwards 13.8
Durant 13.6
Curry 13.0
Embiid 13.0
Assists
James 8.2 (second)
Holiday 3.5
Booker 3.4
Rebounds
James 7.0
Davis 6.2
Tatum 6.0 (in limited playing time)
Blocks
Embiid 1.3 (sixth)
Turnovers
James 3.8 (fourth)
3-pointers
Curry 2.8 (seventh)
Durant 2.2
Booker 2.2
Preamble
We all wanted this final, didn’t we?
The star-studded US team, with a few veterans going for one more round at the Olympics. Then a very talented French team, with perhaps the best young player in the world in Victor Wembanyama, playing in front of a lively home crowd.
And both teams have shown plenty of resilience in getting to this stage, so if one team happens to take a double-digit lead, there’s no reason to think the game is over.
Welcome to one of the most-anticipated events of these Games, with good reason.
Beau will be with your shortly. In the meantime, here’s Bryan Graham on the hostile atmosphere that will greet the US as they face the host nation:
The Americans understand that France will pose a far different challenge amid a uniquely hostile environment inside the cauldron-like Bercy Arena, where the hosts will look to become the first side to win men’s basketball gold on home soil since the United States in 1996. Surely it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the curious Victor Wembanyama, who in one night could not only join Léon Marchand, Teddy Riner, Antoine Dupont and the Brothers Lebrun as emblems of the Paris Olympics, but encroach the broader folk-hero pantheon of Cerdan, Hinault, Killy and Zidane by toppling the 17-time Olympic champions on the eve of the closing ceremony.
“We’re expecting them to play the game of their life,” Steph Curry, an Olympic debutant, said. “They’re going to have the home-court adrenaline, they’re riding a big momentum after these last two games. We’ve got to expect them to play great, but we expect that from ourselves as well.”
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