The United States men’s basketball team took a significant step towards securing their fifth consecutive gold medal at the Summer Olympics on July 28. They secured a dominant 110-84 victory over Serbia, who had high hopes of clinching a medal themselves.
Serbia entered the tournament with a strong lineup, boasting players like three-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic. They had previously won two silver medals in Olympic history, and Jokic’s presence on the team bolstered their confidence.
The two teams had faced each other just 11 days before the official start of the Olympic tournament, with the United States emerging victorious with a score of 105-79. However, that game was considered just a warm-up, and Serbia’s key player, Bogdanovic, did not contribute significantly.
The game started with a steal by Aleksa Avramovic for Serbia, who scored the first basket of the game. Avramovic then helped Serbia gain a 4-0 lead before Jokic committed an early foul on Joel Embiid. In the Olympics, players are limited to five fouls, so Jokic accumulating his first foul within three minutes of the game was a noteworthy development.
LeBron James scored the first basket for the United States, stealing the ball and executing a powerful dunk that delighted the crowd. However, Serbia responded by scoring the next 6 points, taking a 10-2 lead, and forcing U.S. coach Steve Kerr to call a timeout.
After the timeout, Steph Curry scored a three-pointer, injecting some energy into the United States’ performance. Devin Booker then hit two more threes, reducing the deficit to just one point and giving the United States some momentum.
Throughout the game, Coach Kerr rotated players early on in their first Olympic appearance, and LeBron James started to dominate. He scored a layup through traffic and drew a foul, giving the United States their first lead of the game at 14-12. James converted the free throw, bringing the score to 15-12 in favor of the United States.
Serbia responded with a 7-0 run, reclaiming a 19-16 lead. Kevin Durant, who had missed all warm-up games due to an injury, was then brought in by the United States. He immediately made an impact, accumulating 11 points and contributing to the team’s performance.
The two teams continued to exchange runs, with the United States finishing the first quarter on an 11-0 run. Anthony Edwards sealed the impressive run with a dunk in the closing seconds, giving the United States a 23-18 lead at the end of the first 10 minutes.
Serbia struggled to contain Durant, who scored 14 points within six minutes of playing time. At the first stoppage of the second quarter, Durant had already accumulated 11 of the United States’ 32 points without missing a shot. His scoring spree continued with a three-pointer over Jokic.
As the second quarter progressed, the pace of the game slowed down, and both teams settled into their first Olympic match. Although Serbia managed to keep up with the United States in terms of scoring, the Americans maintained a relatively comfortable 10-point lead.
Bogdan Bogdanovic scored a three-pointer with 2:46 left in the first half and was fouled by Curry, who picked up his second infraction of the half. This forced the coach to substitute Curry, and Durant took his place on the floor. Bogdanovic converted the free throw, reducing the United States’ lead to 6 points and assisting his teammates in further narrowing the gap. Serbia went on an 8-0 run.
The United States relied on Durant’s exceptional performance, as he hit a fadeaway jumper to extend the lead back to 4 points. Another basket increased the lead to 6, but Serbia responded with a three-pointer, keeping the game uncomfortably close.
As the second quarter concluded, Durant made a fadeaway shot with a hand in his face. This remarkable shot emphasized Durant’s outstanding first half, with the United States leading 58-49. Durant had scored 21 points without missing a shot (8/8 from the field and 5/5 from three-point range).
Meanwhile, LeBron James had an impressive first half, contributing 12 points, five assists, three rebounds, and four turnovers without missing a shot. His performance played a crucial role in the United States’ 9-point lead at halftime.
One notable aspect of the United States’ dominant first half was that Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton did not play a single second. Despite their absence, every other U.S. player managed to score. The team shot an impressive 66 percent from the field, with James and Durant combining for 16 of 17 successful shots.
The second half began with Jrue Holiday sinking a three-pointer, and the game became more physical. James and Embiid became entangled with two Serbian players, resulting in a review to determine whether it constituted a flagrant foul. Although the foul was indeed deemed a flagrant, the United States maintained their 10-point lead.
The U.S. team ended the third quarter with an impressive spinning shot by Anthony Edwards, extending their lead to 19 points entering the final quarter. Edwards had already scored 11 points, becoming the third U.S. player to reach double digits. James had 18 points in 19 minutes and 43 seconds of gameplay, while Durant contributed 23 points in 12 minutes and 22 seconds, allowing the United States to gain a stronger advantage.
Tatum and Haliburton did not see any playing time in the first three quarters, but all other U.S. players managed to contribute points. The team shot an impressive 66 percent from the field in the first 30 minutes of gameplay, with James and Durant leading the way with a combined 16 of 17 successful shots.
After two minutes into the fourth quarter, Durant finally missed a shot with the United States leading by 21. He checked out of the game with five and a half minutes left, having scored 23 points in 16 minutes and 44 seconds of playtime.
James, on the other hand, played the majority of the game, leading the team with 26 minutes and 52 seconds of gameplay. He finished the game with 9 of 13 successful shots, scoring 21 points. Moreover, James led the team with 9 assists and 7 rebounds. Curry contributed 11 points, and Booker added 12 points to secure the United States’ victory. In total, five American players reached double figures.
Jokic delivered an impressive performance for Serbia, leading his team with 20 points in 30 minutes and 45 seconds of gameplay. He also topped the team’s rebounds leaderboard with eight and tied for the team lead with five assists. Bogdanovic scored 14 points, while four other Serbian players reached double figures.
In terms of shooting, Serbia struggled, making only 9 of 37 three-point attempts, whereas the United States had a superb performance, hitting 18 of 32 shots from beyond the arc. Overall, the United States had a field goal shooting percentage of 62 percent.
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