As the Olympic basketball semifinals draw near, anticipation is mounting for the highly awaited matchup between Team USA and Serbia. This encounter will be the third in under a month between these two formidable teams, with Team USA already notching two victories—one during pool play and another in Abu Dhabi.
Serbia, however, steps onto the court with a renewed resolve, largely spearheaded by the exceptional Nikola Jokic. The three-time NBA Most Valuable Player and champion has been nothing short of stellar, leading his team in every major statistical category. Jokic is averaging 19.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game, all while maintaining a remarkable shooting percentage of 60% from the field. His presence on the court has been a game-changer for Serbia, evidenced by the fact that the team has outscored opponents by 43 points with him playing, while being outscored by 12 points when he’s on the bench.
Despite Team USA's previous victories, head coach Steve Kerr remains wary of complacency. "We can't get lulled to sleep because we beat them twice," Kerr noted. "We have to be prepared for their best effort. We've got to think about what are they going to do differently. Jokic, I guess he could play 40 minutes. What else do they have up their sleeve?"
The significance of Jokic’s role was magnified during Serbia's dramatic quarterfinal showdown against Australia. Rallying from a 24-point deficit, Serbia clinched victory in overtime, outscoring Australia by 17 points with Jokic on the floor but struggling with a minus-12 during his seven minutes on the bench. Similarly, in their last meeting with Team USA, the teams were deadlocked during Jokic’s 31 minutes on the court, while Team USA surged ahead 29-3 during his nine-minute respite.
Aside from Jokic, Serbia has another sharpshooter in Bogdan Bogdanovic. Averaging 18.5 points per game, Bogdanovic has been lethal from beyond the arc, hitting 48% of his three-point attempts and 90% from the foul line. His performance has been pivotal for Serbia’s offense, providing a valuable counterbalance to Jokic’s inside presence.
Team USA certainly has firepower of its own and remains undeterred by Serbia’s resilience. "I guess we'll be ready for that," remarked Joel Embiid regarding the possibility of Jokic playing extended minutes. "If that's what they think they have to do to try to beat us, then they won't hesitate to do that."
The key for Team USA will be maintaining focus and execution. LeBron James, a veteran leader for the team, echoed this sentiment: "Every game is its own test. No matter what happened in the first two, it's about what goes down Thursday night. So we need to lock in our film session, lock in during the day on Thursday and then come out and be ready to go."
As both teams prepare for what promises to be an electrifying clash, the stakes couldn’t be higher. For Team USA, a third victory against Serbia would secure their spot in the Olympic finals, affirming their dominance. For Serbia, overcoming the formidable American squad would not only avenge their previous losses but also further cement Jokic’s legacy as one of the game’s greats.
Basketball fans worldwide will be glued to their screens to witness whether Team USA continues their triumphant march or if Serbia, with Jokic at the helm, can pull off a monumental upset. One thing is for certain: no matter the outcome, this semifinal promises to be a captivating chapter in Olympic basketball history.