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IT took nine 3-point makes in a 36-point haul by Steph Curry, a 19-point game from Joel Embiid and a triple-double from LeBron James for the USA to escape Serbia 95-91 in their Olympic semi final, Nikola Jokic again showing he is the world's master basketballer in 2024.

Better than the Dream Team? 

In their dreams.

Kevin Durant predicting a USA return to 40 to 50-point winning margins?

Sorry, not in this era. The world has caught up, make no mistake about it.

And what a joy it is to see European teams playing basketball the way it was designed to be played. You know, great unselfish ball movement, give up the good shot for the great uncontested shot.

Teamwork, non-verbal communication but mostly ball movement, cutting into spaces. Sure, ultimately the athletes of the USA overwhelmed a Serbia which still led 76-61 with 11 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Serbs led by as many as 17 and were out 31-23 after one, despite Curry rattling up 17 first-quarter points. He was simply unbelievable, in that unique way only he can be.

But Serbia - the team - was better, Aleksa Avramovic hitting 4-of-6 threes in his 15 points, Bogdan Bogdanovic en route a 20-point haul, Vasilijie Micic sticking a pair of triples, Ognjen Dobric with 3-of-5 threes and Marko Guduric nailing 2-of-3.

And all the while, Jokic stood as a colossus in the middle, 11 assists, 5 boards, a steal, a block and 17 points in 37:41 against the USA's inside beasts Embiid, Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo.

Embiid's second half, as relieved US fans later joked, earned him his American citizenship, his second half eventually yielding 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting.

James finished with a 16-point, 12-rebound, 10-assist stat line to be an ever-present factor but it was a host of cameos around Curry which Serbia was finally unable to resist.

Playing with great focus, commitment and also a high level of visible joy, Serbia led 54-43 at halftime, blew the lead out to as many as 17 and took a 76-63 buffer into the last quarter.

Everyone watching knew what was to come and the avalanche Serbia would need to withstand.

At 3:41 left, James tied the game 84-84 and the foregone conclusion now looked very much on the cards.

However 20 seconds later Jokic found Filip Petrusev for a dunk, Serbia regaining the lead at 86-84.

The joy was short-lived. A long three by Curry - is there any other kind? - pushed the US 87-86 ahead, James and Curry taking the lead out to 91-86 forcing a Serbian timeout, 1:41 left.

Bogdanovic pulled the deficit back to 89-91 with a three-point play, Durant restoring a four-point buffer.

Jokic had the score back to 91-93 with 26 seconds left before Curry free throws put the game out of reach.

The level of despair for the Serbs was only surpassed by the emotional joy and abject relief of the USA outfit, which now will face host nation France for the Gold, as we alluded to a month ago.

France's thrilling 73-69 semi final victory over the World Champion German team was another gem of a contest, more in keeping with how the sport is played in Europe.

FIBA now has the Final it wanted, the USA and France contesting Olympic Gold in Tokyo in 2021, Sydney in 2000 and London in 1948. But the many and varied claiming this as the US's best-ever team may need to have a rethink.   

MEN'S FINAL

USA v France

BRONZE MEDAL

Serbia v Germany

MEN'S SEMI FINALS

France 73 (Yabusele 17, Cordinier 16, Wembanyama 11, Lessort 10; Wembanyama, Yabusele, Cordinier 7 rebs; Wembanyama 4 assts) d Germany 69 (Schroder 18, F.Wagner 10, Theis, Obst 8; Theis 11 rebs; Theis 6 assts); USA 95 (Curry 36, Embiid 19, James 16; James 12 rebs; James 10 assts) d Serbia 91 (Bogdanovic 20, Jokic 17, Avramovic 15; Jokic, Milutinov, Petrusev 5 rebs; Jokic 11 assts).

MEN'S QUARTER-FINALS

Germany 76 d Greece 63, Serbia 95 d Australia 90 (O/T), France 82 d Canada 73, USA 122 d Brazil 87.

MEN'S INTRAGROUP RESULTS

Group A: Australia 92 d Spain 80, Canada 86 d Greece 79; Spain 84 d Greece 77, Canada 93 d Australia 83; Greece 77 d Australia 71, Canada 88 d Spain 85. Canada 3-0 (+20), Australia 1-2 (-4), Spain 1-2 (-8), Greece 1-2 (-8). Tied Teams Table: Australia 1-1 +6, Greece 1-1 -1, Spain 1-1 -5. Final Order: 1 Canada, 2 Australia, 3 Greece, 4 Spain.

Group B: Germany 97 d Japan 77, France 78 d Brazil 66; France 94 d Japan 90, Germany 86 d Brazil 73; Brazil 102 d Japan 84, Germany 85 d France 71. Germany 3-0 (+47), France 2-1 (+2), Brazil 1-2 (-7), Japan 0-3 (-42). Final Order: 1 Germany, 2 France, 3 Brazil, 4 Japan.

Group C: South Sudan 90 d Puerto Rico 79, USA 110 d Serbia 84; Serbia 107 d Puerto Rico 66, USA 103 d South Sudan 86; USA 104 d Puerto Rico 83; Serbia 96 d South Sudan 85. USA 3-0 (+64), Serbia 2-1 (+26), South Sudan 1-2 (-17), Puerto Rico 0-3 (-73). Final Order: 1 USA, 2 Serbia, 3 South Sudan, 4 Puerto Rico.