Staff USA’s path via the 2024 Paris Olympics has largely been simple to date. Sure, the People needed to play Serbia within the opener, however their final three video games have come towards opponents ranked No. 12 (Brazil), No. 16 (Puerto Rico) and No. 33 (South Sudan) on the earth, in response to FIBA. The star-studded American roster was by no means going to lose to any of these groups. Issues ought to get extra fascinating beginning Thursday within the semifinals in a rematch towards Serbia with a spot within the gold medal sport towards France on the road.
Sure, Staff USA has overwhelmed Serbia twice previously month, however that is an opponent that really may credibly win a single sport towards the very best staff within the discipline. Serbia defeated Staff USA on the 2019 World Cup. It took house silver within the 2023 World Cup. It has the very best participant within the discipline (and the world) in Nikola Jokic, and in contrast to the final two instances these groups have met, it is a single-elimination matchup. The loser goes house with out the gold medal. For the primary time, it is a sport Staff USA genuinely must take severely.
This is the pertinent viewing information for Thursday’s Olympic semifinal as Staff USA tries to maintain its hopes alive for a fifth consecutive gold medal. Serbia, in the meantime, has by no means received Olympic gold and is on the lookout for its second journey to the gold medal sport. The Serbian nationwide staff completed with the silver medal in 2016, shedding to Staff USA within the gold medal sport.
The place to observe USA basketball vs. Serbia
Time: 3 p.m. ET | Date: Thursday, Aug. 8
Location: Bercy Enviornment — Paris
TV channel: USA Community | Dwell stream: fubo (attempt without spending a dime), Peacock
Dwell updates: Observe alongside
Under are our greatest bets for the battle with Serbia.
Staff USA vs. Serbia finest bets
Staff USA received their group stage sport towards Serbia by 26 factors… nevertheless it received the 9 minutes or in order that Nikola Jokic spent on the bench by precisely 26 factors. When Jokic was on the ground, for roughly 75% of the sport, these two groups had been even. That was even though Serbia shot 9-of-37 from 3-point vary (24.3%) whereas Staff USA shot 18-of-32 (56.3%). Staff USA might be going to win this sport. It is simply actually laborious to think about Staff USA blowing Serbia out thrice, in case you embody their exhibition bout. Serbia can beat Staff USA on day. On a mean one, these groups must be aggressive. The Decide: Serbia +16.5
I maintain choosing unders and the overs maintain hitting. I am lastly flipping to the over largely as a result of it behooves Staff USA to play this sport with tempo. Jokic would not have many weaknesses, however his greatest is holding up in pick-and-roll towards velocity. If Staff USA performs a slower, plodding model with anybody pounding the rock an excessive amount of, that performs proper into his arms. The concept goes to be to play quick, get Serbia in rotation and benefit from the truth that Jokic is neither an elite rim protector nor change defender. If that compels Serbia to play quick, which Jokic can do fairly nicely along with his full-court passing, then all the higher. The Decide: Over 187.5
Sadly, the books caught up after setting Jokic’s help line at a preposterously low 4.5 within the group stage sport towards Staff USA. At 7.5, the worth is gone. However his level complete at 20.5 appears extra cheap. If nothing else, I do not count on Jokic to take a seat almost as a lot as he did within the first sport. That is the medal spherical. Staff USA has no apparent method of defending him one-on-one. If ever there have been a time for Serbia to simply say, “We have now the very best participant and we will trip him for 40 minutes,” it might be now. On that entrance, I like all of his overs. However given the stakes of this sport and the matchup benefits he has, the considered him posting a gaudy level complete stands out. The Decide: Jokic Over 20.5 Factors