Heated Discussion on the US Thrilling Comeback! Media Figures: Curry’s Best FIBA Performance; Without Referee Help, the US Couldn’t Have Won

In the early hours of August 9th, in the men’s basketball semi-final match of the Paris Olympics, the United States made a thrilling comeback from a 17-point deficit to defeat Serbia 95-91, advancing to the men’s basketball final. After the game, many media figures engaged in heated discussions about the match.

Shu Hai: Curry hit 9 three-pointers throughout the game, scoring 36 points, his best performance in FIBA history, just one shot away from tying the Olympic record for most three-pointers in a single game;

James scored 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, marking the fourth time in history and the second time in his career that he achieved a triple-double in an Olympic men’s basketball game, with extensive switching between the 4 and 5 positions to defend against Jokic in the second half;

Durant began to awaken the FIBA god within him after hitting his first shot at the end of the third quarter. With only 34 seconds left in the game and the US leading by just two points, he directed Embiid to move out of the way, not needing a screen, and went one-on-one against Petrushev, making a classic crossover mid-range jump shot that sealed the win for the US team.

From the perspective of appreciating the highest level of world basketball, this game was already extraordinary. But in terms of fulfilling the fantasies of a generation of basketball fans, its significance goes far beyond that.

This game featured five players who have won a total of 11 MVP trophies. Today, they all proved what MVP-level play looks like. And this is what we imagined the combination of James, Durant, and Curry should look like, but without Embiid, the US team might have fallen. Without a doubt, this is the most exciting game of these Olympics so far, another historic-level FIBA contest. It’s worth commemorating and praising.

Zhu Yipeng: Stating four facts: The US team played well, the US is stronger than Serbia, James, Curry, and Durant once again demonstrated how great they are in this game, and without the referees helping them, they wouldn’t have won this game.

Talking about refereeing decisions is a thankless job. First, you need a large amount of video and image evidence to prove that “the calls were indeed against you”; while proving it, you face a massive wave of public opinion, including but not limited to “Are you being a sore loser?”, “Isn’t this just a normal call? Can’t you take a little hardship?” and “Didn’t you benefit from calls before? You’re not any better.” Even if you succeed in proving your point, unless the referees admit it themselves, you can’t definitively distinguish between “the referees were biased against you” and “the referees were just incompetent.” I don’t expect to convince anyone, but those who watched the game and don’t have a clear bias towards either team should be aware of the referees’ bias.

This should have been the defining moment in the careers of these Serbian athletes, ruined by these three referees. It’s a bit of a shame. I will remember their names: Milutinov, Petrushev, Guduric, Dobric, Micić, Abramovic, Marinkovic, Bogdanovic, Jokic. They didn’t lose to the US team; they lost to the Western world.

Yang Jian: Curry! How could there not be tears! The big three, James, Durant, and Curry, really got fired up, seeing their eyes turn red! Serbia was truly great!

Xue Sijia: Stephen Curry’s only chance to compete for an Olympic gold medal, snatched back by sheer force!

Ji Mengnian: Another immortal night. Serbia pushed the US team to the brink, forcing Durant to take defensive responsibilities, forcing James to hold down Jokic, and forcing Curry to hit 9 three-pointers to win the game.

For every Serbian child, beating the US team on the basketball court is a dream. They had never beaten the US team on the Olympic stage before, and today they came very close to achieving that goal, doing everything they possibly could.

They maximized Jokic’s playing time, hit enough three-pointers, protected the ball, and didn’t give the US team counterattack opportunities. Jokic’s individual impact plus flawless game execution helped Serbia maintain the lead for the first 35 minutes.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t withstand the American onslaught in the final moments. Durant’s three-pointer from the 45-degree angle became the turning point of the game. After that shot, Jokic picked up his fourth foul, leaving Serbia’s defense wide open. Booker hit a three-pointer upon receiving the ball, and the US team finally surfaced from underwater, followed by a joint performance by Curry, Durant, and James.

Even at this age, the trio of James, Durant, and Curry still embody unparalleled talent. But on this night, what’s even more moving is the resilience of Serbian basketball. After the game, I heard a lot of talk about “four years from now.” Compared to looking forward to the future, I feel more sorry for Serbia on this night.

Meng Chao: The most excited the US team has been after winning since the Olympics began.

Shen Zhiyu: The Emperor redeemed himself, proving that joining the US team wasn’t just for show.