Team USA raced out to an early lead, but Serbia trimmed it down as the game wore on, missing a potential game-tying shot with 2.0 seconds remaining in regulation.
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That is two close games in a row for the US – this is not a wake-up call, this is the reality that this United States of America team is not as far ahead of the rest of the world as they would like to believe, and they need to play better at both ends to earn gold. Team USA almost found themselves the second big American upset of the day, though obviously with lower stakes, by failing to learn from the win over the Australians. Officials insisted the water was safe for competing, even after a larger, adjacent pool used for water polo and synchronized swimming also turned green.
But while Team USA finally played a tough game, they still have by far the most talent of any team in the Olympics, and it’s still hard to see any team overcoming the enormous talent gap that includes Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony (who is in top Olympic form) Kyrie Irving, and many more stars – even teams like Australia that have multiple National Basketball Association players.
Diana Taurasi hit two 3-pointers in a row to start an 8-0 run that gave the Americans their first 20-point lead of the contest.
Klay Thompson was dropped from the starting lineup and is shooting 15 percent from the floor.
They don’t necessarily need to play better to win the gold.
“It’s weird, actually”, US forward Kevin Durant said when asked to describe the differences. “We needed to be in a real game and see who we are”. Milos Teodosic was penetrating, scoring and dishing on his way to 18 points and six assists. Draymond Green, whose versatility should be a good fit for the worldwide game, hasn’t been much better.
The Serbian team utilized great ball movement and fantastic court vision to get easy looks inside all game while Team USA’s offense was largely stagnant.
Kyle irving lead Team USA scorers with 15.
The next preliminary round game happens on August 14 versus France at 1:15 P.M. EDT. Alongside Jokic, European professional players Nikola Kalinić and Stefan Marković crashed the boards with determination as the small nation of just over 7,000,000 citizens were held to only a 33-31 disadvantage on the boards (nine-to-eight on the offensive glass).
This one, though, took everything the USA team had. But the Serbs got a basket by Jokic and two free throws Teodosic to get within three.
“Serbian mentality is we have to fight to the end no matter what the score”, said centre Miroslav Raduljica, who had 18 points for the Serbs.
Yesterday the United States basketball team was tested again in the Olympics.
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“Once you move the ball like Australia did against them or us for the most part of this game, don’t let them adjust and put their physicality and athleticism … once you move the ball they are always chasing someone”, Serbia coach Aleksander Djordjevic said.
