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The star-studded Crew USA defeated France within the Males’s Basketball Match remaining on the Paris Olympics 2024 to win their fifth straight gold medal. Nonetheless, the journey to victory wasn’t as clean as anticipated. They wanted a 13-point comeback to beat Serbia within the semifinal by solely 4 factors and needed to toil till late within the fourth quarter within the remaining in opposition to France, which they gained 98-87.
Crew USA’s struggles on the occasion regardless of fielding considered one of their strongest rosters ever have satisfied Shaquille O’Neal that their gold medal-winning streak will finish in 2028. In an interview with the German newspaper ‘Sports activities Bild’, the Corridor of Famer downplayed the US’ odds of sustaining its Olympic dominance and named three groups primed to change into basketball superpowers.
Throughout the interview, the four-time NBA champion was requested if he was stunned when Germany beat Crew USA within the semifinal of the 2023 FIBA World Cup 2023. O’Neal responded,
“I watched the video games on the World Cup. However I wasn’t stunned. 20 years in the past, the USA was gentle years forward of the opposite international locations. However that has modified. Europe has caught up, is barely simply behind, and can quickly overtake the USA. I’m certain that the USA is not going to win gold on the 2028 Olympic Video games in Los Angeles.”
O’Neal predicted that considered one of Croatia, Serbia, or Germany would seemingly upstage Crew USA in 2028 and win the Olympic gold. He claimed the reigning champions gained’t have LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant to rescue them, giving different nations a terrific alternative to drag off a large upset.
The Corridor of Famer’s take has advantage contemplating how shut Crew USA got here to shedding throughout the summer time.
Crew USA needed to battle arduous for the gold medal
Not like in years previous when star-studded Crew USA rosters confirmed up and dominated the competitors, the James, Curry, and Durant-led unit had a number of shut shaves throughout the summer time. Of their exhibition recreation in opposition to South Sudan, they have been lucky to flee with a win because the Lakers celebrity rescued them with a late winner in a one-point victory.
Within the gold medal match in opposition to France, the hosts reduce Crew USA’s result in three factors with underneath three minutes left on the clock. They’d all of the momentum and it was seemingly solely a matter of time earlier than they took the lead.
Nonetheless, Curry’s 4 three-pointers within the closing minutes helped Crew USA escape with the win and a fifth-straight gold medal. Neither the guard nor James are anticipated to play in 2028. The nation will want the younger stars to step up if they’re to proceed their dominant run on the Olympics.
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