Dominant performance cements ‘Dream Team’ as favourite for gold medal, and they face Serbia in semifinals
The United States men’s basketball team continued their pursuit of a fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal with a commanding 122-87 victory over Brazil in the quarterfinals of the Paris 2024 Games on Tuesday.
A dominant performance cements the ‘Dream Team’ as the favourite for the gold medal, and they now advance to face Serbia in the semifinals.
The United States showcased its dominance on the court, leading 63-38 at halftime, and never looked in danger of losing. Despite a brief rally from Brazil in the third quarter, the US team, stacked with NBA talent, finished strong, outscoring Brazil 28-16 in the final quarter.
From the start, the game was all about the United States asserting its dominance. Brazil showed early aggression, with Gui Santos scoring the opening basket, but the ‘Dream Team’ quickly took control.
LeBron James made his presence felt with his signature plays, and Joel Embiid, despite being booed, displayed an impressive performance. Devin Booker contributed significantly with two three-pointers, including one with an extra point, helping the US team finish the first quarter with a 33-21 lead. This marked their best first quarter performance of the summer, surpassing their previous high of 32 points against Australia in a friendly match.
Brazil attempted to fight back with Georginho de Paula’s impressive play, a three-pointer from the Sao Paulo forward, and a dunk by Dias. Veteran Marcelinho Huertas also added five consecutive points, challenging the US team briefly. However, the introduction of the second unit, featuring Bam Adebayo, Anthony Davis, Anthony Edwards, and Kevin Durant, proved too much for Brazil as the United States pulled ahead 40-31 midway through the second quarter.
Serbia, the United States next opponent, secured their semifinal spot after a hard-fought overtime victory against Australia. The game ended in regulation with a score of 92-92, but Serbia outscored the Tokyo bronze medallists 13-8 in overtime.
In the other semifinal, Tokyo silver medallists France will face Germany, who defeated Canada 82-73 in their quarterfinal match. Germany also triumphed over Greece with a 76-63 victory to advance to the semifinals.
The United States team is packed with talent, boasting 12 NBA All-Stars, four NBA MVPs, and six NBA champions. Collectively, these players have made 11 Olympic appearances and won 10 gold medals, underscoring their depth and experience.
