Paris Preview, August 8: Men's basketball semifinals, Noah Lyles in the 200

PARIS, France — There will be superstars galore on the court for the second semifinal between the U.S. and Serbia, and Noah Lyles will go for double gold in the men’s 200 meters.

Here’s what to watch on Day 13 of the Paris Olympics. 

LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry vs. Nikola Jokic is quite the matchup in the 2024 Olympics men’s basketball semifinals Thursday. OK, it’s really the United States vs. Serbia, but you get the idea. 

Jokic, the NBA MVP three of the past four seasons for the Denver Nuggets, will face an American team that’s so strong it’s impossible for coach Steve Kerr to offer everyone the number of minutes they might ordinarily expect or deserve.

The U.S. has its own list of past MVPs on the roster, including James, Durant, Curry and Joel Embiid, and is trying to make an 18th appearance in the gold-medal game in 20 Olympic appearances.

The other men’s matchup features Victor Wembanyama and host France against Germany.

The winners of the two games will play for the gold on Saturday, when the two losing semifinalists will meet to determine who leaves France with the bronze.

There will be plenty of attention on the purple stage at Stade de France, too, where the track and field highlights include 100-meter dash champion Noah Lyles of the U.S. trying to add the 200 gold medal to his collection and join such stars of the past as Usain Bolt and Carl Lewis, who’ve completed that sprint double at a single Summer Games.

And an attention-grabbing matchup in the women’s 400-meter hurdles is part of the program, with reigning Olympic champion and world-record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone of the U.S. and reigning world champion Femke Bol of the Netherlands going head to head for just the third time.

Lyles is a big favorite heading into the 200, his stronger event. Until coming in second to Letsile Tebogo of Botswana in a 200 semifinal Wednesday night — still good enough for the American to advance — Lyles hadn’t lost a 200 anywhere since the Olympic final in Tokyo three years ago, when he wound up with a bronze.

The final for that event is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. EDT.

A little less than an hour later, at 3:25 p.m. EDT, comes the other race everyone is excited about: McLaughlin-Levrone vs. Bol in a showdown between this generation’s two top female hurdlers.

The U.S. women’s water polo team takes on Australia in the semifinal.

Men’s and women’s kite surfing will hold final rounds.

Men’s speed climbers will race up the wall in the semifinal and final rounds. 

Diving continues with the men’s 3-meter springboard final.