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The United States were behind for most of the
game and held the lead for less than three and a half minutes in
the crucial fourth quarter to secure a spot in the gold medal
game on Saturday against hosts France.
"That was a godlike performance," Kevin Durant, a guard for the
NBA's Phoenix Suns who had nine points against Serbia, said of
Curry.
"Steph, he felt like he was struggling throughout the whole
tournament and tonight, he showed up. God was with him tonight.
He was with us tonight and through Steph."
While Durant described it as one of the best games he had ever
seen Curry play, the four-times NBA champion with the Golden
State Warriors shrugged off his personal contribution to the
victory, saying his performance was merely what the game called
for.
"I haven't had many opportunities and haven't shot the ball well
the whole tournament," said the 36-year-old. "But it doesn't
waver your confidence to meet the moment...
"You live for those moments and doesn't matter if you shoot
three times or however many I shot tonight."
Curry, who sank 9 of 14 three-point shots on Thursday, said the
United States would need to dominate early in the final against
France for a chance at gold.
"I know they're going to feed off their home energy," Curry said
of France, who beat Germany 73-69 earlier on Thursday to reach
the final.
"We have to get off to a better start than we did tonight."
(Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber, Vincent Daheron and
Steve Keating; Editing by Bill Berkrot) [© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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