Thursday was an instantly iconic day of basketball in Paris, from France gutting out a semifinal win on home soil to the U.S. and Serbia playing one of the most gripping games in Olympic history. The sequel, however, might be even better — because now there are medals on the line. LeBron James and Team USA. Victor Wembanyama and France. An absolutely electric atmosphere at Bercy Arena. Oh, and the undercard isn't too bad either.

After two long weeks, we're finally here; here's everything to know ahead of the medal round on Saturday.

U.S., France set for gold medal showdown

What a difference a few days can make. After a rough series of warm-up games, Les Bleus nearly lost to Japan before getting blasted by Germany in group play. Established stars like Evan Fournier were publicly sniping at coach Vincent Collet. It felt like things were coming apart at the seams.

And then everything flipped. Collet made the coaching move of the tournament, sitting Fournier and Rudy Gobert in favor of a less heralded but ultra-athletic lineup that has carried France from the brink all the way to the gold medal game. Now, though, France's feel-good band of misfits faces the final boss: Team USA, one win away from a historic fifth straight gold medal.

Can French role players like Guerschon Yabusele and Isaia Cordinier keep this up? Is Victor Wembanyama ready for this at just 20 years old, and will he finally rediscover the feel for his wayward jumper? The U.S. survived a major semifinal scare from Serbia, and you can bet that Steve Kerr's crew will come out with its hair on fire from the opening tip. On paper, this wouldn't seem to be particularly close; France's backcourt is too thin, its offense too shaky to keep pace with the Americans once their machine gets rolling. (Especially if Steph Curry keeps shooting like he did on Thursda.) But if this tournament has taught us anything, it's that anything can happen once the ball is in the air, and the crowd in Paris is going to do all it can to will Les Bleus to a win. Tipoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, and we can't hardly wait.

How quickly can Germany and Serbia bounce back?

If a few things break differently, this could be our gold medal game. Germany looked like the biggest threat to the Americans for much of this tournament, only for the well to run dry at the worst possible time in the semifinal against France. Serbia, well, we know how close it came to a historic upset. 

So before we get to any of the actual basketball, we have to ask: Which team is going to want this bronze medal more? There's still plenty to play for here. Germany has never medaled in basketball, and we don't know how many more times we'll be able to watch Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic on the Olympic stage. (Both players were part of the Serbian squad that won silver in Rio, and both will be in their mid-30s by the time Los Angeles rolls around in 2028.) But bouncing back 48 hours after having your hearts ripped out on the world stage is no easy feat, and whichever team is most ready for the physicality of a medal game will likely have the edge.

Of course, the basketball itself will also be fascinating. Does Dennis Schroder have one more trick up his sleeve after a clunker against France? Can Franz Wagner continue his ascent to stardom? And can Daniel Theis handle the matchup with Jokic? Tipoff is set for 5 a.m. ET.