James bloodied, Embiid booed (again), Kevin Durant crowned and Nikola Jokic next as Team USA keep medal hopes alive at Paris Olympics
Team USA eased into the men's basketball in Paris on Monday night, but a dominant win was bookmarked by a bloodied LeBron James and the looming threat of a familiar face.
The US were 122-87 winners over Brazil to complete the semifinal line-up for the Olympics, joining Germany, Serbia and host nation France in the hunt for the medals.
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Despite the on-sided nature of the win there were plenty of talking points to emerge from the game, not least the condition of Los Angeles Lakers icon LeBron James.
As well as the NBA's all-time leading scorer being forced off in the game, Kevin Durant cemented his status as an iconic figure for Team USA.
And with the other results on the night the path to gold for James, Durant and their teammates has now been laid out.
FIBA world champions Germany were the first team through, wrapping up a 76-63 win over Giannis Antetoukounmpo's Greece and they were joined by Serbia who saw off Australia.
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Victor Wembanyama and France delighted the home fans to come through a tough quarter-final with a Canada team that including Shai Gilgeous-Alexanders and Jamal Murray.
It means that Thursday's semifinals will pitch France against Germany and Serbia against the USA - keeping alive hopes of the dream final between NBA Rookie of the Year Wembanyama and the all-star USA team.
James suffered the scare after he was hit in the eye by Georginho De Paula's stray elbow, with coach Steve Kerr confirming afterward that he had received four stitches in the would.
Bending over in some discomfort, the Los Angeles Lakers star rubbed his face before standing up to show a bloody mark above his left eye.
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James then held a towel to his eye and checked out of the game, before withdrawing and heading to the locker room three minutes later.
Team USA were 74-51 up in the third quarter when the 39-year-old suffered the blow.
Devin Booker the US's leading scorer with 18 points and five 3s, but it was Durant making headlines as he made himself the all-time leading American scorer at Olympics.
The Phoenix Suns star had 11 points on the night, but a dunk took him past Lisa Leslie as he finished the evening with 494 points.
For good measure he was presented with the game ball by his teammates and will get the chance to extend his advantage over Leslie when he takes on Serbia last this week.
The USA will face three-time MVP Jokic and his Serbia teammates for the right to guarantee a medal - lose and they will be left in an unexpected scrap for bronze.
Durant, James and co began their games against Serbia and won 110-84 in the pool stage - although crucially the scores were level when Jokic was on the court.
How much time the center, and 2022 champion with the Denver Nuggets, is on the court is likely to prove crucial to Serbia's hopes.
Los Angeles Lakers icon LeBron James forced off as Team USA star suffers bloody eye injury at Paris 2024 Olympics
A dominant USA are desperate to keep up their record since 1988 in the men's event.
They have won every men's Olympic basketball gold - except in Athens in 2004 - since the Soviet Union claimed Seoul glory and prompted a reaction from the United States that saw the phenom of the 'Dream Team' put in place.
The US and Serbia met in the gold medal match in Rio de Janiero in 2016, when James and Durant were on the winning team
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New to Team USA for the Paris Games has been Joel Embiid, the Cameroon-born star qualified for the US via his American citizenship but could also have played for France.
Not for the first time at the competition, the Philadelphia 76er was booed by the home crowd and it may go up a gear when the event moves to the Bercy Arena for the final stages.
"Oh no, they still might find a way [to fine me], but that felt good," Embiid said.
"It's good to have fun too, because at the end of the day, you got to take something out of this experience."
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The US women's team will aim to join the men in reaching the last four when they face Nigeria in the quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Having won every gold since 1980, anything other than a 10th success in the competition would be a major shock.
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