The men’s basketball tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics has entered the final four stage, with the four most anticipated teams being France, Germany, the United States, and Serbia. The host nation, France, will face off against the 2023 World Cup champions, Germany, while basketball powerhouse the United States will once again take on formidable rival Serbia.
Germany faced Greece, led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the quarterfinals and found themselves in a double-digit deficit early in the first quarter. However, Germany quickly regained their form in the second quarter, leveling the score before halftime. In the second half, Germany showcased strong teamwork, widening the gap, and ultimately defeated Greece 76 to 63, reaching the Olympic semifinals for the first time.
Under the leadership of Nikola Jokic, Serbia faced off against Australia in a fierce battle. In the first half, Serbia was once down by 24 points, but gradually rallied in the second half, taking a 2-point lead by the end of the third quarter. In the final seconds of the fourth quarter, Australia’s Patty Mills hit a crucial mid-range shot, sending the game into overtime. During the extra period, Jokic delivered an outstanding performance, finishing with 21 points, 14 rebounds, 9 assists, and 4 steals, ultimately leading Serbia to a 95-90 victory.
The French team faced Canada at home, starting strong and quickly gaining a double-digit lead. In the first half, France was awarded 25 free throw opportunities, forcing Canada to struggle in pursuit. Although Canada managed to narrow the gap to single digits in the final quarter, France’s Evan Fournier hit a crucial deep three-pointer, ultimately advancing with a score of 82 to 73.
In the final quarterfinal match, the United States team faced Brazil, demonstrating their balanced strength in both offense and defense, with every player recording points. By halftime, they had established a significant lead with 27 points and ultimately won comfortably with a score of 122 to 87. Notably, Kevin Durant scored 11 points in this game, making him the all-time leading scorer for the United States in Olympic history with 494 points, and he is poised to surpass the 500-point mark in the next game.
The men’s basketball semifinal of the Paris Olympics will be held from August 8 to 9, with France facing Germany, and the USA going up against Serbia once again. As the competition reaches its climax, it’s definitely a stage worth keeping a close eye on for fans.
