Pics du jour: Epic Olympic basketball finale
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The Phoenix Mercury's Kahleah Copper came alive in the second half of Team USA's gold medal game against France yesterday and helped deliver a hard-fought victory.
The big picture: Team USA defeated France — bolstered by an electric hometown crowd — 67-66 to win the country's eight consecutive women's basketball gold medal.
- Copper scored 12 points in her 22 minutes of play and came away with five rebounds and two steals.
1 funny thing: Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson had two words to describe Copper in a postgame interview: "That b—h."
Mercury veteran Diana Taurasi did not play in yesterday's game but still won a sixth gold medal, the most in Olympic basketball history.
Brittney Griner, who was detained in Russia for 10 months in 2022, was visibly emotional listening to "The Star-Spangled Banner" during the medal ceremony.
- "My country fought for me to get back," Griner said after the game. "And I was able to bring home gold for my country. There's just no greater feeling."
On Saturday night, Team USA's men's basketball squad beat France 98-87.
- Suns teammates Kevin Durant and Devin Booker each scored 15 points and helped secure a fifth consecutive gold medal for the U.S.
- It was Durant's fourth gold medal, a record for men's basketball.