PARIS, France — The U.S. men's basketball team opened knockout play at the Paris Olympics in dominant fashion Tuesday, defeating Brazil 122-87.
Team USA was led by Devin Booker's 18 points in the victory, followed closely by Anthony Edwards' 17 points.
Charlotte native Steph Curry's offensive struggles continued against Brazil, as he finished with just 7 points. Curry's yet to score 20 points since arriving in Paris.
With the win, the United States advanced to the semifinals of the Olympic basketball tournament where they'll play Serbia, who eliminated Australia in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. The U.S. easily defeated Serbia 110-84 in group play.
During the game, Kevin Durant surpassed Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie to become USA basketball's all-time leading scorer
On the other side of the bracket, reigning world champions Germany advanced to the semifinals by defeating Greece. The German team will play either Canada or France in the semifinals. Team USA is seeking a historic fifth straight gold medal in the Olympics.
The U.S. men's basketball team has two players with North Carolina connections, including Curry. The four-time NBA champion is playing in his first Olympics in 2024. Joining him is Bam Adebayo of the Miami Heat, who played high school basketball in High Point before attending the University of Kentucky.
While Paris is the first Summer Games for Curry, he's no stranger to international play, leading the U.S. to FIBA world championships in 2010 and 2014. An Olympic gold medal is all that's missing from Curry's mantle, as he's already won two NBA MVPs and is the league's all-time leader in 3-point baskets.
Golden State drafted Curry No. 7 overall in the 2009 NBA draft. Little did anyone know that Curry would soon be an all-time great and arguably the greatest shooter in basketball history. After an injury-plagued season, he was nearly traded to Milwaukee. When the Bucks rejected the deal, Curry became a leader for the Warriors and a dynasty was born. He and Klay Thompson united to form the Splash Brothers and won four NBA titles from 2016 to 2022, appearing in six Finals in eight years.
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