The United States and Serbia will battle for the third time this year and the fourth time overall on the Olympic stage to determine who will compete for the coveted gold medal.
The American men are competing in their twenty-first Olympic Games and have an overall record of 142-5. The United States has won 16 gold medals, one silver medal, and one bronze medal, including four consecutive gold medals in men’s basketball (2008, ’12, ’16, and ’20).
USA vs. Serbia At The Olympics.
Series record: Since 2016, the United States has had a 3-0 Olympic record against Serbia.
Last Meeting: On July 28, the United States defeated Serbia 110-84 to open Group C at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Kevin Durant debuted his 2024 Men’s National Team, scoring 21 points and going a perfect 8-for-8 in the first half. Durant provided the spark, finishing with 23 points to lead the four-time reigning gold medalists to victory.
Last Showing In The United States
Devin Booker and Joel Embiid set the tone for the Americans in their quarterfinal game against Brazil, guiding the team to a comfortable 33-21 lead at the end of the first quarter. Just before halftime, LeBron James and Jayson Tatum connected on a brilliantly executed inbound alley-oop, increasing the margin to 63-36. Team USA continued their domination for the remainder of the game, ultimately winning 122-87 to advance to the semifinals against Serbia.
Booker, who led the squad with 18 points, demonstrated his shooting ability by making five 3-pointers in seven attempts, powering the USA to a remarkable 15-of-31 (48%) from beyond the arc. Embiid had a fantastic 12 minutes on the field, scoring 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting and collecting seven rebounds. Anthony Edwards, Team USA’s leading scorer, added 17 points, while Anthony Davis made an essential contribution with 13 points. As the primary facilitator for the USA, James expertly directed the offense, giving out nine assists and scoring 12 points in the team’s win.
USA’s Olympic Stats
- Record: 4-0.
- Points per Game: 109.8.
- Rebounds per game: 42.3.
- Average assists per game: 28.5.
- Steals per game: 10.3.
- FG%: 55.4%
- 3PT%: 44%
- Opponent’s FG%: 41.3%
- Opponent’s 3PT%: 30%.
Serbia’s Last Showing
Serbia is coming off a stunning quarterfinal victory over Australia when they overturned a 24-point deficit to win overtime. Despite being down 46-22 with 6:26 left in the second quarter, the squad recovered to cut the deficit to 54-42 at halftime. Serbia roared back in the third quarter, outscoring Australia 25-11 and taking a two-point lead into the fourth quarter. The two sides pushed each other in the fourth, with the Australians forcing overtime. Serbia seized control in overtime, winning 95-90 to advance to the semifinals.
Nikola Jokic made clutch plays on both ends of the floor in the waning minutes of overtime, contributing to Serbia’s comeback triumph. With 1:07 left, Jokic sank a high-arching hook shot to take the lead, and 25 seconds later, he added a one-legged mid-range fadeaway to extend their lead to three points. The versatile big man ended the game with 21 points, 14 rebounds, nine assists, four steals, and two blocks. Bogdan Bogdanovic also had a significant influence, contributing 17 points, six assists, and five rebounds.
Serbia’s Olympic Statistics
- Record: 3–1.
- Points per Game: 95.5.
- Rebounds per game: 41.8
- Average assists per game: 25.5.
- Steals per game: 9.8
- FG%: 50.9%
- 3PT%: 32.4%
- Opponent’s FG%: 46.7%
- Opponent’s 3PT%: 43%
What To Watch
The American Leaders: The United States leads the competition in several key statistics. Team USA leads the competition in scoring (108.9 points per game), assists (28.5), field goal percentage (55.4%), three-point shooting percentage (44%), and steals (10.3). They are also tied with France for the most blocks per game, with 5.8.
Edwards leads the team with 16.8 points and 1.8 steals per game, while James has the highest field goal percentage (67.6%) and assists (7.8 per game). Kevin Durant and Booker lead the league in three-point shooting percentage at 62.5% each. Meanwhile, Derrick White, Embiid, and Davis contribute defensively, averaging 1.3 blocks per game.
Serbia’s Dynamic Duo: Jokic and Bogdanovic are now seventh and eighth in points per game at the Olympics, with Jokic averaging 19.3 and Bogdanovic contributing 18.5. In addition to his impressive scoring average, Jokic is the leading rebounder in the Olympics, averaging 11.8 rebounds per game. He is seventh in assists (7.5) and second in steals (2.5). Furthermore, Jokic leads the Games with three double-doubles. Look for this pair to be a problematic one-two punch for the Americans to contain.
Third time lucky: Before this semifinal match, the United States and Serbia had already played twice. Their first meeting came during a pre-Olympic exhibition as part of the USA Basketball Showcase when the United States defeated Serbia 105-79. Their second clash took place on July 28, marking the start of the group phase. Once again, the Americans came out on top, winning 110-84. Expect this to be the most significant competitive encounter, as both teams have become increasingly familiar with one another.
Alone at the Top: On August 6, against Brazil, with 3:06 left in the third quarter, Durant flushed in a dunk for his sixth of 11 points that night. Durant’s scoring broke Lisa Leslie’s record of 488 points, making him the all-time highest scorer in US Olympic history. He currently has 494 points, which will only increase if the United States continues to perform well in the 2024 Olympics.
In conclusion, as Team USA and Serbia prepare to face off in the semifinals, basketball fans worldwide are in for a treat. This game offers not only the opportunity to compete for gold but also the continuation of an exciting rivalry. Both teams have the skills, strategy, and passion to win, making this a must-see matchup during the Paris Olympics.
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