Getty Image / Jean Catuffe
Late in Thursday’s Olympic Men’s Basketball Semifinal, it looked like Team USA was going to suffer the biggest upset loss the team has suffered in 20 years. Serbia led by as many as 17 points and had a 13-point fourth-quarter lead.
But, Team USA wouldn’t quit. All-time greats LeBron James and Steph Curry led the way and Joel Embiid played a dominant fourth quarter, with the USA outscoring Serbia by 17 points in ten minutes to win by four. 95-91. And, it seems the team had some help down the stretch in the form of Team USA legend Carmelo Anthony.
Carmelo Anthony is one of the greatest Team USA players ever, as he’s the second all-time leading scorer in Olympic history for the Stars and Stripes. While his last appearance of his four straight was in 2016, the prolific scorer is still remembered for his Team USA exploits.
Anthony was courtside in Paris to watch a game that was expected by many to be a romp, as Team USA had handled Serbia twice in the past month. But, they trailed by 11 with 7 minutes and change remaining in the game, and things looked bleak.
The USA made a huge comeback to take the lead, and led by two with just under 40 seconds remaining. Enter Melo. Melo was seen coaching Team USA from his courtside seats when Kevin Durant hit a dagger jumper to put USA up 93-89 with 34 seconds remaining. Whatever he was cooking up worked to perfection
While it wasn’t a perfect fourth quarter for Team USA, it was pretty close. Yes, the USA is the most talented team in the tournament by leaps and bounds and probably never should’ve been in that hole. But, they were, and a 17-point fourth quarter win is the stuff of legends. This may be the most famous Team USA game of all-time, and Carmelo Anthony played a small part of it.
Team USA will play Victor Wembanyama and host country France on Saturday for the gold medal.