France hands US men’s basketball team their first Olympic loss since 2004

France beat USA by 83-76 in a massive Olympic basketball upset on Sunday. The USA team led by 11-time NBA All-star Kevin Durant lost against France in the Olympics for the first time since 2004.

The French held Kevin Durant to mere 10 points in the first-round game as the NBA players Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier along with others in the team played against the USA team. 

Durant had earlier expressed that the USA team will not be facing a “cakewalk” in Japan, following a loss against Nigeria in a warm-up game during their build-up to Tokyo. 

The Boston Celtics player, Fournier,  scored four from 12 from the three-point line, finding his range when it mattered and leaving the Americans stunned. 

“I tried to be aggressive. As an NBA player I know the players we were facing. We had to show the team how to attack them,” Fournier said.

France initially stood at a 10-point deficit. However, in a surprising turn of events, the French clawed their way back to set up a breathless final quarter. The team finally took control as the USA failed to stay consistent and Durant could not them either. 

Fournier helped France take a good jump in the remaining 57 seconds as he dunked a three-pointer , taking the team ahead 76-74. As Durant hit the rim with a three-pointer himself the French closed out the game with a succession of free throws.

When Jayson Tatum fouled Nicolas Batum, the French veteran NBA forward hit both from the line to seal a famous victory.