Host country France is moving on at the 2024 Paris Olympics after pulling off an upset win over Canada.
Canada had been one of the most dominant teams in the tournament, earning the third-best seed after finishing with a perfect 3-0 record to win the "Group of Death." Its hopes of medalling in men's basketball at the Olympics for the first time since 1936 didn't last long, however, getting upset by France in the first round of the Knockout Stage.
France head coach Vincent Collet made a difficult lineup change to gain an advantage over Canada, benching Les Bleus' longtime captains Rudy Gobert and Evan Fournier.
The bold decision paid dividends as France got out to a hot start to build a comfortable first-quarter lead that it never surrendered.
MORE: Live updates from France's upset over Canada in Olympics quarterfinals
How France benching Rudy Gobert led to upset win over Canada
France used two different starting lineups in three Group Stage games, but after getting handled by Germany in the final contest before the Knockout Round, head coach Collet decided it was time for another change.
Against a Canada team that is loaded with talent on the perimeter and thin on impact players in the frontcourt, Collet elected to bring his two cornerstones, Gobert and Fournier, off the bench.
The decision to bench Fournier is self-explanatory — the 31-year-old has never been a defender, even in his prime. Gobert, on the other hand, is a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, but this isn't the first time he has been pulled off the floor because of bad matchups.
We've seen it happen multiple times throughout his career in the NBA Playoffs. Canada's frontcourt rotation of Dwight Powell, Kelly Olynyk and Khem Birch didn't pose much of a physical interior threat, so Collet trusted his team could get away with playing small. And it worked.
Instead, he started sharpshooter Isaia Cordinier and defensive-minded guard Frank Ntilikina, moving Victor Wembanyama to center to give France a more versatile lineup against scorers like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and RJ Barrett.
The move instantly cashed results, as Cordinier caught fire from 3-point range and scored 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from deep in the first half. His two-way energy set the tone for France, getting it out to a 16-point halftime lead that Canada couldn't overcome.
France 🇫🇷 with a big lead after Q1.#Paris2024 x #Basketball pic.twitter.com/f6dvbGNEKa
— FIBA (@FIBA) August 6, 2024
When it was announced that Gobert would come off the bench, the expectation was that he would still play a pivotal role as a reserve. Instead, Gobert only played three minutes and 41 seconds the entire game, finishing with zero points and one rebound.
After France's win, it was revealed that Gobert injured his left ring finger in practice Saturday. He reportedly had surgery on Monday, limiting his minutes against Canada. Collet admitted that Gobert's injury was a factor in his limited playing time, but it wasn't the factor. The French coach wanted to go smaller against Canada.
Fournier bought into Collet's decision, turning into a microwave scorer off the bench. He finished with a 2024 Olympic-best 15 points. That included three 3-pointers, the last of which was a miraculous heave late in the fourth quarter to put a dagger in Canada's comeback hopes.
Evan Fournier pulls up from way downtown for three and the French crowd is ROCKING! 🔥🇫🇷
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 6, 2024
📺 E! and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/46Vp5nA38T
Guerschon Yabusele also benefitted from a larger role, leading France in scoring with 22 points. Without Gobert in the paint, Yabusele dominated the interior.
Even if Collet's hand was forced by Gobert's injury, the France head coach pushed the right buttons to assure his team wouldn't suffer an early exit on its home soil.
France will move on to play Germany in the semifinals with a trip to the gold medal match on the line.
