There was no Miracle on the Seine at the Olympics as the United States men’s basketball team did as expected by grinding out a 98-87 win over France to claim a fifth consecutive gold medal.
Steph Curry scored 24 points, including four 3-pointers in the final three minutes, to lead the way. It was the fifth consecutive gold medal for the US.
With the French sporting spotlight locked on the Bercy arena, the American showmen crushed Gallic hearts led by a fired up LeBron James, the “King” wearing shiny golden sneakers to mark the occasion.
The result was the same as three years ago in the Tokyo Olympic gold medal game but for the French this loss cut a little deeper coming on home hardwood in front of a captivated nation.
France will get another shot at hoops glory on Sunday but the women’s team will be even bigger underdogs against the mighty Americans who have not lost in the Olympics since 1992 and are chasing an eighth straight gold.
Follow live score updates and analysis from the Bercy Arena in Paris below:
Olympics 2024: USA v France, men’s basketball gold medal game
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FT! France 87-98 USA
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USA win fifth straight men’s basketball gold medal at the Olympics
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LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant lead star-studded team
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Curry stars with stunning fourth-quarter run to defeat the hosts
Steph Curry’s late magic puts France to sleep as USA win thrilling Olympic final
23:08 , Jamie Braidwood
In the end, all of the boos, jeers and glittering French stardust in the world would still not have been nearly enough to stop this unbeatable force. The United States men’s basketball team are Olympic champions once again, winning their fifth straight gold medal against the hosts France at a raucous Bercy Arena in Paris.
Led by Steph Curry and his dazzling late run of three-pointers in the closing minutes, the United States assembled a dream team for Paris and came away with the only prize that mattered.
Steph Curry’s late magic puts France to sleep as USA win thrilling Olympic final
Olympics basketball: USA 98-87 France
23:24 , Oscar Pick
Kevin Durant becomes a four-time Olympic gold medalist after contributing 15 points to Team USA’s victory – a night that will largely be defined by the performances of three basketball icons.
“It was so fun playing with these guys. I’ve had a great month, travelling the world and winning a gold medal with these guys. It’s a memory that I will have for the rest of my life. These are my brothers,” Durant told Eurosport.
Olympics basketball: USA 98-87 France
22:48 , Oscar Pick
USA head coach Steve Kerr hails the impact of Steph Curry, who scored four triples in the last four minutes of tonight’s final to secure gold for his side.
“Steph Curry ended up being the difference. The flurry at the end of the game was just incredible. Watching him never gets old,” Kerr told Eurosport.
“I want to give credit to France; they were amazing. It felt like we were going to break that game open but they just kept hanging in there. Congrats to France on the silver medal, it’s a great accomplishment.
“Winning a gold medal is a dream for any young athlete, so to be apart of it is incredibly special, and I’m just thankful for the opportunity.”
Olympics basketball: USA 98-87 France
22:41 , Oscar Pick
France head coach Vincent Collet is left devastated with the result but remains nonetheless proud of his players, who collect their silver medals after pushing Team USA all the way in what was a tightly contested final.
“For sure, it’s a disappointment, because we expected that we could do it but, in the end, we have to recognise that they were better,” Collet told Eurosport immediately after the game.
“This is the greatest moment of my career and, to do it in Paris, it is something special. We had a dream to make it happen but it was impossible, [USA] were too good.”
Olympics basketball: USA 98-87 France
22:17 , Oscar Pick
Stephen Curry scores three breathtaking shots from beyond the arc to seal Team USA’s fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal in basketball.
France showed tremendous resolve, with Nando de Colo and Victor Wembanyama securing some consolation points, but the damage had already been done by, quite simply, one of the greatest players of all time.
Olympics basketball: USA 87-79 France – Q4 2:22
22:10 , Oscar Pick
After he is fouled by LeBron James, Guerschon Yabusele sinks one of his two free-throws, before Stephen Curry returns to the court to do what he does best: score three pointers.
Kevin Durant then concluded a dominant spell for Team USA with a free-throw of his own.
Olympics basketball: USA 82-74 France – Q4 3:50
22:05 , Oscar Pick
A foul from Anthony Davis on Victor Wembanyama sees the centre sink one of his two free-throws, before LeBron James leaps up for another dunk to deny France a spell of momentum.
Kevin Durant then uncharacteristically misses a dunk, but France, once again, is unable to capitalise on USA’s mistake.
Olympics basketball: USA 77-69 France – Q4 7:19
21:59 , Oscar Pick
Anthony Davis continues to shine under the lights, as another dunk from the power forward sees Team USA keep their nose infront.
Kevin Durant then sinks another sumptuous three pointer to maintain his side’s control over the game, with France now chasing an even greater deficit.
Olympics basketball: USA 72-66 France – Q4 9:50
21:54 , Oscar Pick
A dunk from Kevin Durant extends the USA’s lead before the fourth quarter, but Nando de Colo’s shot to hit the rim gave France the points after an interference from Team USA.
France now look to be in a strong position, with De Colo and Evan Fournier both making a real impact.
Olympics basketball: USA 70-61 France – Q3 1:10
21:49 , Oscar Pick
Evan Fournier restores the host’s belief with an excellent three pointer, only for LeBron James to cancel the shooting guard’s points with one of his own from outside the arc.
Nando de Colo then made a remarkable steal but was unable to launch a successful counter, with France not capitalising on USA’s mistakes.
Olympics basketball: USA 65-56 France – Q3 4:01
21:43 , Oscar Pick
Nando de Colo makes his mark on the game with a remarkable three pointer thrown from several yards behind the arc, but USA respond with a strong defensive effort to momentarily suppress France’s offensive onslaught.
LeBron James then sinks another spine shuddering dunk to galvanize his side.
Olympics basketball: USA 61-47 France – Q3 6:37
21:37 , Oscar Pick
An impactful visit from Guerschon Yabusele sees the forward claim 19 points in this game, following two flawless free-throws.
But LeBron James links up well with Stephan Curry, who scores yet another three pointer, keeping Team USA in the driving seat.
Olympics basketball: USA 58-45 France – Q3 7:24
21:33 , Oscar Pick
Joel Embiid sinks two free-throws before Stephen Curry sends his third three pointer looping into the hoop.
After inviting another foul, Embiid secured another two crucial points for Team USA.
Olympics basketball: USA 49-41 France – Q3 9:05
21:28 , Oscar Pick
After an intense and fiery first half, France trail by eight points, but look set take the USA all the way in this enthralling final.
As we enter the third quarter, the battle between LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama will only get fiercer.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA 49-39 France score updates
21:13 , Oscar Pick
Devin Booker earns himself a free-throw and sinks one home for Team USA, but then makes a foul himself and is called to the bench by Steve Kerr.
As the first half comes to a close, France continue to dig themselves out of their deficit, with Jrue Holiday scoring a three pointer to conclude USA’s impressive first half spell.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA 40-36 France score updates
21:06 , Oscar Pick
LeBron James’ free-throw sees the USA extend their lead, before France claims three free-throws of their own, with Guerschon Yabusele securing two points.
Yabusele then leaps over James to execute a phenominal dunk, before sinking another free-throw to keep France in the game.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA 34-31 France score updates
21:00 , Oscar Pick
LeBron James restores some stability for Team USA with huge dunk, followed by a three pointer from Devin Booker.
Stephen Curry then showcases his quality with a phenominal shot at range, as all three players have overturned the decicit.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA 24-25 France score updates
20:55 , Oscar Pick
France’s Guerschon Yabusele closes the gap on Team USA, as his three pointer gives his team an added boost to assert their dominance in this second quarter.
With France now ahead, they are beginning to force the USA onto the backfoot with a terrific surge.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA 20-15 France score updates
20:50 , Oscar Pick
Anthony Edwards keeps USA infront following his second three pointer, with Devin Booker adding another seven points in the first quarter too.
France, meanwhile, look to offer stern competition in this game, with Victor Wembanyama securing a total of seven points.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA 17-13 France score updates
20:46 , Oscar Pick
After a frantic start, LeBron James and Kevin Durant have steadied the ship for Team USA in this first quarter, but Nicolas Batum sinked a much needed three pointer to keep France in the game.
One of USA’s shots was then overturned to three points to extend their lead after a review.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA 12-11 France score updates
20:39 , Oscar Pick
LeBron James has set the tone with a dazzling dunk to kick things off, but France responded with a great spell, as Victor Wembanyama looks to establish his authority on the game too.
The two teams remain difficult to seperate at this early stage, with the USA leading 12-11 after the first foul was committed.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA 8-7 France score updates
20:35 , Jamie Braidwood
An insane start as a dunk from LeBron James is followed by a three-pointer from Wembanyama! The home crowd are roaring every USA turnover, but they appreciated that LeBron dunk.
Durant drains a three to put the USA back in front.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates
20:32 , Oscar Pick
NBA stars LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Victor Wembanyama will be in action on the court shortly, as the USA looks to win their fifth consecutive Olympic title in basketball, while France hopes to claim their first.
Both teams looked impressive in the semi-finals, defeating Serbia and Germany respectively.
Now, the time has come to for both heavyweights to go for gold.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates
20:31 , Jamie Braidwood
An incredible atmosphere in Paris and the stars are out on the France bench, with Thiery Henry and Olympic heroes Teddy Riner and Leon Marchant on the front row.
Time for tip-off.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA vs France score updates
20:39 , Jack Rathborn
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates
20:25 , Jamie Braidwood
Joel Embiid will embrace the villain role when he lines up for the United States against France in the Olympic basketball gold medal match in Paris tonight.
Born in Cameroon, the NBA star chose to represent the USA over France at the Olympics and he has been loudly booed by the French fans during the tournament so far.
Embiid has responded to the boos, taking on the crowd and telling them to “suck it” after the USA defeated Serbia in the semi-finals on Thursday, but the reaction is set to go up another level when he takes on France.
Predictably, he was booed when introduced out onto the court.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates
20:24 , Jamie Braidwood
We’re almost ready to go in the Bercy Arena.
LeBron James has a pair of gold shoes for the occasion.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
20:15 , Jamie Braidwood
No wonder he quickly earned himself the nickname “The Alien”, while LeBron James said he was “a generational talent”. Indeed, Victor Wembanyama became the No 1 prospect ahead of the NBA Draft and the hype surrounding him was the most for anyone entering the league since James almost 20 years ago. Wembanyama delivered, taking the NBA by storm and boosting ticket sales of the San Antonio Spurs, who won the lottery to select him with the No 1 pick.
Although only a year into his NBA career, Wembanyama is now arguably only second to French football superstar Kylian Mbappe in terms of global fame. Although, with Mbappe missing the Olympics after featuring for France at Euro 2024 and moving to Real Madrid earlier in July, Wembanyama will find himself at the centre of attention in Paris as France bids for gold against the United States.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
20:00 , Jamie Braidwood
Although just 20, France’s basketball superstar Victor Wembanyama is quite literally the biggest name for the host nation at the Olympics.
The 7’4” phenomenon is returning home after a standout first season in the NBA in the United States. His arrival to the league had been highly anticipated for years, as social media clips of the giant “Wemby” and his basketball skills went viral. What became clear in the videos of Wembanyama that routinely broke the internet in the United States is the player with an eight-foot wingspan did not just have height to his advantage, but a combination of mobility, coordination, power and accuracy, too.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
19:45 , The Independent
The comeback kept Kevin Durant’s hopes of becoming the first four-time Olympic men’s gold medalist very much alive, and gave the U.S. a chance to return to the international basketball mountaintop. The Americans were fourth at the World Cup last summer, a result that spurred some NBA stars like James and Curry to be part of this team.
And of all the U.S. semifinal moments, this was like few others. The four-point final margin was the second closest in American history in the Olympic semifinals; the U.S. beat Lithuania by two in the 2000 semifinals in Sydney, on the way to gold there.
They’re one win away from another.
“I’m 39 years old, going into my 22nd season, I don’t know how many opportunities and moments I’m going to get like this to compete for something, compete for something big and play in big games,” LeBron James said. “And tonight was a big game.”
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
19:30 , Jamie Braidwood
The U.S. improved to 144-6 all-time in Olympic play, 63-4 since NBA players were added to the Olympics in 1992.
“Perseverance, hard work dedication, Chef Curry and Joel ‘Process’ Embiid,” James said. “Big-time win for us. We knew we were going to be challenged. We knew it was going to be the toughest game to date. Total effort.”
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
19:15 , The Independent
Steph Curry’s 36 points were the second-most in a game by a U.S. men’s player in Olympic history, one shy of Carmelo Anthony’s record 37 against Nigeria in 2012. And Anthony, sitting courtside, was Curry’s biggest cheerleader. When the Americans tied it with about 3:35 left, Curry gave Anthony a big smile. When the go-ahead 3 rattled home, Anthony leaped from his seat. And when it was over, the two shared a long embrace.“That was a godlike performance,” Durant said of Curry.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
19:00 , Jamie Braidwood
Joel Embiid scored 19 points on 8 for 11 shooting and James added 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for the U.S., which is now assured of its 20th medal in 20 Olympic appearances.
“Joel was everything,” said James, who has two of the four triple-doubles in Olympic men’s history; he also had one in 2012, while the Soviet Union’s Aleksander Belov in 1976 and Slovenia’s Luka Doncic in 2021 had the others. “Made every big shot.”
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
18:45 , The Independent
It’ll be the U.S. against host France for gold in a dream matchup for the host nation on Saturday, while Serbia will face Germany earlier Saturday for bronze. The gold-medal game is a rematch from the Tokyo Games three years ago, where the Americans prevailed 87-82.“I’m really humbled to have been a part of this game,” U.S. coach Steve Kerr said, tipping his hat multiple times to Serbia. “It’s one of the greatest basketball games I’ve ever been a part of. They were perfect. They played a perfect game. Our coaches were saying, Villanova-Georgetown, for all of our older readers and viewers out there.“But they played the perfect game, and they forced us to reach the highest level of competition that we could find. And our guys were incredible in that fourth quarter, and they got it done.”
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
18:30 , The Independent
They scored six points in two seconds. And just like that, against what looked like overwhelming odds, the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team was on its way.
To a comeback. To a win. And to another Olympic gold medal game.
Stephen Curry scored 36 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:16 left, and the U.S. will play for gold in the Paris Olympics on Saturday night after beating Serbia 95-91. LeBron James had the fourth triple-double in Olympic history for the U.S., which trailed by 17 points in the first half and faced an 11-point halftime deficit — the biggest one successfully overcome by an American team since NBA players were added to the Olympic mix in 1992.
“I’ve seen a lot of Team USA basketball,” Curry said. “And that was a special one.”
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
18:15 , The Independent
The U.S. men did their part in setting up the Americans against the French on Thursday night, rallying from 17 down to beat Serbia. With France beating World Cup champ Germany, that set up a rematch of the 2021 Tokyo Games gold-medal game.
On Friday, the U.S. women beat Australia 84-67 ensuring they advanced to an eighth straight Olympic gold medal game. Then France beat Belgium 82-75 in the other semifinal, giving the host nation a chance at sweeping a pair of gold medals in basketball.
This is the second straight Olympics that the U.S. women will play the host nation after beating Japan three years ago in the Tokyo Games. But that was different. There were no fans due to the pandemic restrictions.
Not this time.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
18:00 , The Independent
French guard Marine Johannes said they had talked about the possibility of both teams reaching the gold medal game after the men won Thursday. She called it great opportunity for French basketball.
“Everyone like was talking about this final, France against USA for the men’s team, but also for us,” Johannes said. “So I think it’s a perfect matchup.”
They will not be lacking for support.
Whenever the French teams have played — whether in Lille during pool play or now in Paris at Bercy Arena — fans not been timid in showing up and showing out.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
17:45 , The Independent
France is set for a big basketball weekend to cap the Paris Olympics, with both the men’s and women’s teams playing for gold medals. And they’re playing the Americans.
It’s not surprising the men’s team made it to the title game. They lost to the U.S. at the Tokyo Games three years ago in the title game and this time around are led by NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama.
For France’s women, they’ll finally get a rematch with the U.S. that’s been a long time in the making. France lost to the Americans in the gold-medal game at the 2012 London Olympics. The French team didn’t get a chance to take on the U.S. in Tokyo, losing in the semifinals to host Japan — though France did take home the bronze.
France had to go to overtime Friday night to beat Belgium to reach Sunday’s final.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
17:15 , Jamie Braidwood
When and where is the gold medal game?
The game is on Saturday 10 August and tip-off is at 8:30pm BST at the Bercy Arena in Paris, France.
How can I watch the game?
You can watch the game in full via a live stream on Discovery+, with coverage starting at 8:15pm BST.
The BBC is also set to show the game in parts with their current agreement dictating they can only show two events at the same time.
Olympics basketball LIVE: USA v France score updates as LeBron meets Wembanyama
17:00 , Jamie Braidwood
USA basketball and LeBron James face hosts France for the gold medal at the Olympics with the best of the NBA clashing on the world stage.
Victor Wembanyama, still only 20 years of age and taking the world by storm after being selected by the San Antonio Spurs at No. 1 in the NBA draft two years ago, attempts to lead a stunning upset of Steve Kerr’s basketball behemoth.
If Vincent Collet’s Les Bleus are to win, they will need to shut down the sharp-shooting Steph Curry, whose heroic display inspired a comeback win over Serbia in the semi-finals, while Kevin Durant has also found his groove off the bench for the United States.
Joel Embiid can expect a hostile reception from the home fans, having opted to represent the USA on the global stage, rather than France, as was an option at one point ahead of Paris 2024.
Follow live score updates and analysis from the Bercy Arena in Paris below:
Steph Curry’s late magic puts France to sleep as USA win thrilling Olympic final
23:04 , Jamie Braidwood
In the end, all of the boos, jeers and glittering French stardust in the world would still not have been nearly enough to stop this unbeatable force. The United States men’s basketball team are Olympic champions once again, winning their fifth straight gold medal against the hosts France at a raucous Bercy Arena in Paris.
Led by Steph Curry and his dazzling late run of three-pointers in the closing minutes, the United States assembled a dream team for Paris and came away with the only prize that mattered.
Steph Curry’s late magic puts France to sleep as USA win thrilling Olympic final
