Is it an upset? Team France has eliminated Canada, 82-73, to face Germany in the semifinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
With this victory, the previous silver medalists at the Tokyo Olympics are one game away from clinching another Olympic medal for the fourth time in 12 appearances. On the other hand, this loss is a stinger for Canada.
While the French team certainly does not lack talent, many fans and observers have considered Team Canada as the primary threat against the All-Star-filled Team USA. The Canadians, after all, have ten NBA players on their team, headed by 2024 MVP finalist Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Likewise, they have defensive pest Dillon Brooks and proven big-game performer Jamal Murray.
Asked about their performance, the Denver Nuggets star was candid.
“France played a hell of a game,” Murray said. “Give it to them. They played physical. They played like they're at home, and they brought that energy from the start.”
Olympic dreams fizzle out for Jamal Murray and Canada
Maybe one factor for Canada's surprising elimination was Jamal Murray's dismal Olympics performance. In the losing effort, Murray scored only seven points on 3 for 13 shooting. While Murray can be a certified flamethrower in big games, he has not shown this ability in Paris.
Throughout the Paris games, the Nuggets point guard averaged only 6.0 points and 3.8 assists, with shooting splits of 29.0% from the field and 14.3% from three. He also logged an average plus/minus of -5.8 in four games.
Certainly, this is a far cry from the hot shooting that propelled Denver to its first NBA championship in 2023. Last season, Murray also shot lights-out as the Nuggets dominated the Los Angeles Lakers, 4-1, in the first round of the playoffs. He even shot two game-winners, one of which clinched the series.
After averaging 23.6 points and 7.2 assists against the Lakers, though, Murray began his disappearing act. He averaged only 18.4 points and 4.4 assists, with splits of 40.3% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who eliminated the Nuggets in seven games.
This stretch of forgettable play might have convinced Canada's head coach Jordi Fernandez to bring in Murray as a sixth man behind Oklahoma City Thunder guard Luguentz Dort. Moreover, this middling performance might even cost him a substantial contract extension. The Nuggets might hesitate giving Jamal Murray a four-year, $208-million extension, holding this recent cold streak over him during the negotiations.
Canada's performance
Meanwhile, Team France took hold of the game with a 23-10 lead in the first quarter and never let go of the reins. Gilgeous-Alexander turned in a valiant 27-point performance, but he couldn't overcome Canada's sloppy play and poor shooting.
Team Canada shot only 37.9% from the field and turned the ball over 14 times. On the other hand, generational prospect Victor Wembanyama only scored seven points but grabbed 12 rebounds in 26 minutes of play.
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