Coming off an exciting 95-91 victory over Serbia within the semifinal spherical on Thursday, Workforce USA males’s basketball staff is one win away from securing its fifth straight Olympic gold medal. Its ultimate hurdle is France, led by 2024 NBA Rookie of the Yr Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs.
Ranked from least to most necessary, listed here are three keys for Workforce USA to safe the gold medal Saturday (3:30 p.m. ET):
3. Clog the paint
France is taking pictures 33.3% from three as a staff from distance, with 4 of its high 5 scorers, every taking pictures below 35%. Nevertheless, it compensates with elite rim strain, primarily from Guerschon Yabusele and Isaia Cordinier, who’re the second (12.8 PPG on 55% from the sector) and third (10.6 PPG on 54.3% from the sector) main scorers for the Frenchmen, respectively.
Yabusele and Cordinier rim strain: pic.twitter.com/MDzMmp4xvA
— Justin Kim (@justinkimdc) August 9, 2024
To counter this rim strain, Workforce USA head coach Steve Kerr ought to deploy a dual-big lineup that includes any two of Bam Adebayo, Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis when Yabusele and Cordinier are sharing the court docket. This method would clog the paint, stopping straightforward driving alternatives and forcing France to depend on its poor taking pictures from a distance.
2. Contain Wembanyama defensively
It might sound counterintuitive, however participating France’s finest defensive participant in offensive units could possibly be key for america to neutralize Wembanyama’s influence. With Rudy Gobert anticipated to have a minimal position ( nine minutes in the past two games), the 2023 No. 1 total choose is France’s main rim protector.
Workforce USA arguably has the best perimeter threats and slashers at its disposal. If the People can draw Wembanyama out to the perimeter and contain his man in pick-and-roll or pick-and-pop units, this may take away Wembanyama’s greatest energy in altering pictures on the rim and unlock the paint for extra reducing alternatives and simpler baskets.
A number of groups involving Wemby far out on the perimeter: pic.twitter.com/4wSrJ9LWJ2
— Justin Kim (@justinkimdc) August 9, 2024
1. Lock in from the leap
France should play an ideal recreation to beat america, and even that might not be sufficient given the People’ expertise edge.
“I am actually humbled to have been part of this recreation,” Kerr stated after the win over the Serbs, per Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. “It is one of many biggest basketball video games I’ve ever been part of. They had been excellent. They performed an ideal recreation.”
Workforce USA’s greatest problem is taking part in with a suitable stage of effort, particularly early. So, to keep away from one other shut name like their recreation in opposition to Serbia, the People should stay poised, particularly with France having fun with homecourt benefit.
However, if america follows the keys above, it’ll doubtless keep away from the colossal disappointment of a silver medal and are available house with gold.
