Kevin Durant warns of the danger of France in the Olympics: "Now it's different"
The United States star ensures that the local team is growing, and that they will be a tough rival in the fight for the gold
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games are in their final stretch, especially in basketball. On the men's side, the four semifinalists are already known: United States will face Serbia, and France will meet Germany, just like in the group stage. As for the hosts, Kevin Durant has sent a warning.
For France, the journey at the Olympic Games has not been easy. Although they started with a solid victory against Brazil, the French faced unexpected resistance from Japan and then fell to Germany, the reigning world champion. This defeat led to internal criticism, with Fournier describing their playing style as "outdated" and suggesting that adjustments were needed in both offense and defense to improve their performance.
Despite these setbacks, France found themselves in a situation where they needed to react quickly before their crucial quarter-final match against Canada, one of the top contenders for a medal. And it was precisely at this moment of maximum pressure when France showed its true potential.
France made key strategic decisions, such as benching Rudy Gobert, which allowed the team to adjust their game and dominate the first half of the match against Canada. With a 16-point lead at halftime, France demonstrated its ability to control the pace of the game. Evan Fournier, despite not being a starter, emerged as a key figure in the fourth quarter, scoring a spectacular three-pointer that sealed the victory for his team.
Kevin Durant's Respect
Kevin Durant, one of the standout players of Team USA, expressed his admiration for France's ability to overcome their difficulties and perform under pressure. "Today they played great basketball. They feed off the crowd. We're getting some extra energy. They had a tough game against Germany [in the group stage]. They know it's very tough to play against them in the beginning. We'll see how they do. But right now, it's a different game. It's a different moment. So, I'm sure they'll be ready to play," said Durant, via Aris Barkas of Eurohoops.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Kevin Durant avisa del peligro de Francia en los Juegos Olímpicos: "Ahora es diferente"