Nikola Jokic Makes Team USA Sweat

Team USA is a juggernaut, on paper, at least. Despite being a 15.5-point favorite over Serbia, it took a 24-8 run for Team USA to pull away in the last minute of the fourth quarter. Serbia lost 95-91, with Bogdan Bogdanovic, Nikola Jokic, and Aleksa Avramović leading to Team USA's closest call in the Paris Olympics.

Although Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic didn't qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, his friendly rival Jokic put forth an admirable effort to earn Serbia the bronze medal after failing to qualify for the 2020 Olympics.

While Jokic didn't look dominant when scoring the ball, the Denver Nuggets superstar faced an assortment of double teams and defensive looks from Team USA's head coach, Steve Kerr. Jokic aimed to get his teammates the ball, evading Team USA's aggressive, gambling defense.

The three-time NBA MVP award winner initiated dribble hand-off plays and set a plethora of screens for his outside-shooting teammates, resulting in 11 assists.

Although Jokic is the best player on the team, Bogdanovic took the scoring load. Displaying a hardcore sense of passion, Serbia's starting shooting guard filed Serbia's 17-point lead. He played with an apparent chip on his shoulder, barking at refs, staring at the stands where former members of Team USA sat, and chirping toward his opponents.

In an eye-opening performance, the Atlanta Hawks's shooting guard finished the game with 20 points.

While Serbia ultimately lost to Team USA, its performance had fans on the edge of their seats. A victory would surely place Kerr and many others under scrutiny for finishing third with such a star-studded roster. It's hard to imagine Serbia proud of losing a game in which it had control, but finishing bronze in the Olympics is no easy feat for such a team.

Serbia faces Germany for bronze on August 10 at 4 AM Central Time.

Stephen Curry's 36 points led Team USA to knock off Serbia. It will face France for the gold medal.