Team USA completes late comeback over Serbia 95-91, will face France for gold

Stephen Curry woke up from a slump to will the US to victory

Pounders receive their dream final matchup – US vs. Victor Wembanyama (and France)

It took a 32-15 final quarter burst and a world class shooting demonstration finally from Stephen Curry for the US to escape the semi-final with a triumph over Serbia 95-91. Starting from the 7:20 mark, the US made 10 consecutive and clutch field goal attempts over 5 ¹⁄₂ minutes — starting with a four-point play by Kevin Durant and ending with a Curry layup (after stealing a silly pass from Bogdanovic) — to overtake the Serbians and held on for the stirring victory.

The Serbians matched Curry in the opening half with a collectively solid shooting effort, and were more of a nuisance and physical presence guarding the Americans who’ve been accustomed to more operating space. Serbia ran its lead up as high as 17 – leading for 33+ minutes of game action before succumbing to the first furious US rally had to make in these Olympics in the closing seven minutes. Team USA needed every one of Curry’s nine threes to fend off their worthy opponents and overcome Serbia’s 15-for-29 start from behind the arc.

Curry hit a scorching five of his first six attempts (4 of 5 from three). But the threat of a sweatier-than-usual Jokic in the post and on the wing enabled Serbia to find all sorts of success in a catch-and-shoot procession. Aleksa Abramovic, in particular, benefitted from open space to hit a trio of triples. The non-Curry starters had difficulty denting the scoreboard, until Jame’s first corner three. A steal and lay-up from Abramovic put Serbia up five. The last of Curry’s threes for the stanza brought the US within four, but the concerning result after one was Team USA’s first significant deficit, 23-31.

Edwards knocked down his only shot for the game(!) to start the second period. But he abandoned his assignment shortly after,and a Serbian hit a corner three to put them up nine. Jokic drew a second foul on Anthony Davis, which kickstarted a Serbian run. Jeff Van Gundy’s quote about it being a ‘make-or-miss league’ bounced around my head, as the US defense was made helpless with each successive Serbia bucket. The US was glued to 25 over several minutes, and a rambling Jokic driving and-1 put his team up 17. Embiid’s foul-line jumper and corner three sandwiched around Devin Booker’s layup ate into the deficit. Bogdanovic’s straightaway three extended the Serbian to lead to 15, and the journeyman guard did the three-finger gesture to the temple towards Carmelo Anthony. James got into it with a Serbian player, and then knocked down a triple. James answered the final of Abramovic’s threes with a conventional three-point play over Bogdanovic, and the US was very lucky to head to the half down 11.

Embiid’s connected from three to start the second half and generally tried to make Jokic feel his presence felt. Bogdanovic hit his first triple of the third and continued to bark at anyone around him it seemed. Embiid and Jokic then traded lumbering buckets. Curry made his first splash of the half to trim the Serbian lead to single digits. Ognjen Dobric’s pair of threes kept the US at bay. Jrue Holiday’s corner three brought the US within two possessions, and Embiid drawing an offensive foul on Jokic further ignited his bench. Vasilije Micic then hit two jumpers to stymie the US surge. Marko Guduric’s audacious four-point play caused Team USA to give back all of its gains in the stanza – they went into the fourth perilously down 13.

The Americans needed a trio of MPV-type performances from Curry (36 points and 8 rebounds), James (16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists), and its most maligned member, Embiid (19 points and 4 rebounds). Despite the heaping amount of criticism thrown at him all tournament long, the Sixers center came through when it counted the most. Coach Steve Kerr drastically reduced his rotation with a punchless bench and Durant the only one logging more than 20 minutes. In Serbia’s third matchup with the US in this Olympic season, Jokic (17 points and 11 assists) found the necessary support from Bogdanovic (20 points and 4 rebounds) and Avramovic’s (15 points and 4 rebounds) stellar shooting strokes and heady board play from Nikola Milutinov and FIlip Petrusev. They will take on Germany in the Bronze medal game on Saturday.

Observations

Had the Serbians pulled off the monumental upset, former player Evan Turner may have had to alter his future significantly.
I’m just still in awe at how quickly these games go or turn or shift compared to the 48 minute NBA format.
With Edwards committing two early turnovers in the first half, it may have been better to bring in Jayson Tatum to provide some length and disruption on the defensive end.
Sequence of the Game: As things got chippy with the teams late in the first half, Embiid juked Jokic up in the air, and took it down the right baseline for a a power slam to bring the US deficit to ten.
Playground Sequence of the Game: Anytime that Curry shot the ball in the first half.
Jokic ran his two-man game with any willing teammate while Serbia ran up its lead, which is fascinating given that the only Denver teammate he has that can knock shots down and create offensve with him consistently next season is Jamal Murray (and maybe Russell Westbrook?) .
The sideline angle of Bercy Arena and the arena lighting looks similar to the Wolves’ Target Center.

It’s the US and France in the Gold Medal game Saturday at 2:00 PM CDT!