Team USA Basketball took down Nikola Jokić and Serbia in its third pre-Olympics showcase game on Wednesday afternoon, 105-79. Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry dropped 24 points and was 6-for-9 from beyond the arc. Lakers big man Anthony Davis had six blocks to go with seven points and six rebounds.
The United States entered the game having won each of its first two games. It was coming off of a close, 98-92 win over Australia on Monday.
Wednesday's game also served as a preview for the group stage at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games basketball tournament. The U.S. and Serbia are both in Group C and will open group play against each other again at the Olympics.
See how the U.S. defeated Serbia in each team's second game in Abu Dhabi.
Steph Curry celebrates after scoring against Canada. Candice Ward, USA TODAY Sports
The United States takes on fellow Group C member South Sudan in London for its fourth and penultimate USA Basketball Showcase exhibition game on Saturday, July 20. The game starts at 3 p.m. ET and will be aired on FOX.
On the back of strong performances from Steph Curry, LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Team USA moves to 3-0 in its pre-Olympics showcase after the win over Serbia.
The young guard snagged the ball from Serbia at the wing on the defensive side and ran down the court for an easy slam. Everything has clicked for the U.S. so far in the second half.
Bam Adebayo sinks 3-pointer
The 26-year-old center from the Miami Heat was the benefactor of good ball movement from the U.S. offense. As the shot clock wound down, Adebayo drilled a late shot from the top of the key.
Before the first media timeout of the second half, Serbia's shooting heated up. The team went on a 10-2 scoring run to cut into the U.S. lead and bring the score to 73-55 with four minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Missed shots and strong American defense have held Serbia to zero points through three and a half minutes in the third quarter. Meanwhile, the U.S. is on a 12-0 run to begin the second half and extended the lead to 71-45.
The U.S. battled through the second quarter after a shaky first 10 minutes. A scoring run that began about halfway through the quarter carried Team USA to a 14-point halftime lead.
A big part of Team USA's scoring run has been the strong defense from Lakers big man Anthony Davis, who blocked several shots at the rim during the run. The U.S. leads Serbia, 59-45.
Team USA reclaimed the lead on a wide-open 3-pointer from Steph Curry, who kept the scoring going with a drive to the rim for two points and a four-point play on the next two possessions. The U.S. leads, 44-40.
Bad turnovers continue to plague the U.S., which has allowed Serbia to regain the lead with a couple of 3-pointers to open the third quarter. A tough drive by LeBron James ends an 8-0 run, but Serbia leads, 34-31.
Serbia managed to get the ball down the court quickly after a couple of missed shots from Team USA. They hit a buzzer-beating layup to bring the score even as the first quarter ended.
After Team USA moved the ball around to begin the possession, the ball ended in the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves star. Edwards drains a 3-pointer from the top of the key to tie the game at 24 with one minute left in the first quarter.
He followed it up with a steal and drew a foul to go to the line, where he sank both free throws. The United States regain the lead, 26-24.
With two Americans on him, the center passed out to Dobrić for an open look beyond the arc. After the missed shot, Jokić grabbed the board and sunk a tough shot over the defense. Serbia leads, 22-19.
On a breakaway possession following a steal, Serbian small forward Ognjen Dobrić lobbed a pass to center Filip Petrušev, who slammed it down over Anthony Davis to give Serbia an 18-15 lead.
Several miscommunications lead to turnovers from the United States, allowing Serbia to take and extend their lead with an 8-0 run. Serbia leads Team USA, 14-13, halfway through the first quarter.
After Team USA won the tip, Curry drained a 3-pointer from the left wing to begin the scoring for either side. He nailed another moments later to pull the Americans into a 7-4 lead two minutes into the game.
USA vs. Serbia: Time, TV, streaming and how to watch
Date: Wednesday, July 17
Time: Noon ET
Location: Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
July 20: USA vs. South Sudan, 3 p.m. ET, Fox, London
July 22: USA vs. Germany, 3 p.m. ET, Fox, London
USA Basketball Showcase locations
Team USA played one game in Las Vegas to start the showcase. It will have played two games in Abu Dhabi after Wednesday before playing two more in London ahead of the Olympics.
Team USA lineup
Team Serbia lineup
Aleksa Avramović
Marko Gudurić
Ognjen Dobrić
Filip Petrušev
Nikola Jokić
We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Most Popular
Comments / 0