From the start of this game, it seemed like something was off with Team USA. Stephen Curry was on fire, but his teammates were unable to join him on his hot streak. Instead, it was Serbia pounding it into the paint and splashing threes in the face of the U.S. defense. For the first three quarters, it looked like the super team was going to fall out of contention for gold. However, it would end with heartbreak for Team Serbia, who ended up losing 95-91.
What went wrong for Team USA
This game was a simple case of brick city for the Americans. Anthony Edwards and Devin Booker were on the struggle bus as every shot hit the rim and backboard. Booker ended the game with six points, and Edwards had two. Both also flailed when handling the ball and should have seen much more bench time.
Things continued downhill, with Derrick White and Bam Adebayo both having goose eggs in the scoring column. What's more embarrassing is Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton didn't even touch the court. Seeing two elite shooters watch from the bench as the team got pummeled was just sad.
Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday also need to be called out for awful offensive performances. Holiday managed seven assists, but outside this, he was just kind of there. Steve Kerr didn't seem to have a game plan. Maybe since they already beat Serbia twice, they played down, but it's just disappointing to see.
Serbia duo Jokic and Bogdanovic shine
Yes, Team Serbia took the tough loss. However, Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic once again proved their worth. The Joker had 17 points, one block, one block, one steal, 11 assists, and five rebounds. The United States had to put everything they had into guarding him the paint. Nearing the end, his shots stopped hitting, but it seemed like he and his teammates were a bit gassed.
Bogi was the hot hand with 20 points, hitting 8-18 from the field and 3-10 from three. He had some big moments this game and was the main reason Serbia was able to pull away in the second. They made this an uphill battle for the U.S. Sadly for them, you can never count out LeBron James and Steph Curry.
Veterans put the game on their backs
The United States could have been down 40, and still, the folks at home would have faith because you don't bet against LeBron and Curry. The chef was on a tear this game, earning himself 36 points and eight rebounds. He was hot from behind the arc, going 9-14 and also 12-19 in the field. It was a true masterclass. With his teammates lacking he performed to the best of his abilities and delivered this win.
Behind Curry was Joel Embiid, who scored 19 points. Embiid had some key moments on offense including seven big points in the fourth quarter. This was one of his best games all summer as he remained fired up despite the boos from the French crowd.
To finish things off, Bron was playing like he was 25 and got himself an Olympic triple-double. He finished the game with 16 points, 10 assists, and 12 rebounds. There were moments where he sliced through the Serbian defense for a quick layup, and his two three-pointers were great momentum boosters. Despite the tough game and the clear confusion on the coaching staff, these three veterans put on a show for Team USA.