When they first met in the group play opener, Team USA beat Serbia 110-84. That may look like an easy blowout win for the four-time defending gold medalists, but diving into the box score turns up a stat that may mean this semifinal could be an absolute barnburner. Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić, who just led Serbia on a 24-point comeback to beat Australia in the quarterfinals, had an even plus/minus rating in that opening game.
That’s to say: the game was 81-81 in the 31 minutes he played. While the U.S. won the nine minutes he sat 29-3, the reigning league MVP averaged 34.6 minutes per game in the NBA regular season and 40.2 minutes per game in 12 playoff games. Could he go the distance in a knockout game in the Olympics? We’ll find out when the two teams take the court in Paris on Thursday.
How to watch USA vs. Serbia Olympic semifinals
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Date: Thursday, August 8
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Time: 3 p.m. ET | 12 p.m. PT
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Location: Bercy Arena | Paris, France
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TV: USA Network, Universo
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Streaming: NBCOlympics.com, Peacock, Fubo
Stay with Yahoo Sports for complete coverage of the USA vs. Serbia men’s basketball semifinals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Live20 updates
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Halftime: Serbia 54, USA 43
Team USA definitely has a game on its hands and an uphill climb in the second half. Steph Curry leads the U.S. with 20 points, the only player on the team in double figures. LeBron James has nine.
Aleksa Avramovic has 15 for Serbia, followed by 12 from Bogdan Bogdanovic and nine for Nikola Jokic.
It’s time to get Kevin Durant interested, no? Can’t remember seeing him get a touch
— Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) August 8, 2024
Big question for the U.S.: Where is Kevin Durant? He has zero points and only took one shot in the first half.
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Curry, Bogdanovic trade threes
Steph Curry hits another 3 for Team USA to close the margin to 51–40. But Bogdan Bogdanovic responds with a 3 of his own. Serbia 54, USA 40.
Curry has 20 for the U.S., shooting 6-for-9 on 3s.
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Serbia kills any USA momentum
Serbia answers with a 3 by Aleksa Avramovic to restore its lead to 13, 50–37.
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Joel Embiid with a power dunk
LeBron James hits a three, then gets a steal on the other end of the floor.
That sets up Joel Embiid for a monster dunk past Filip Petrusev to once again cut Serbia’s lead to 10 points, 47–37. Embiid has seven points.
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Bogdanovic ends USA run
Bogdan Bogdanovic hits a three to stop Team USA’s rally. He has 12 points for Serbia, shooting 2-for-3 on his 3s.
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USA on a 7–0 run
The U.S. might be beginning its comeback, scoring seven straight points after a three by Joel Embiid.
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Nikola Jokic makes plays on both ends of the court
Nikola Jokic blocks LeBron James on the defensive end, gets the ball back at the top of the arc in transition, then drives the ball to the basket for a score and a foul.
Jokic makes the free throw to give Serbia a 42–27 lead over USA. He has nine points with six assists
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USA-Serbia winner will play France for the gold medal
France outlasted Germany, 73–69, in the other men’s basketball semifinal. Guerschon Yabusele scored 17 for the winners, with Isaia Cordinier adding 16. Both players had seven rebounds.
Dennis Schroder led Germany with a team-high 18 points, followed by 10 from Franz Wagner.
The host country will face the winner of USA-Serbia in the gold medal game on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
