Olympic Men’s Basketball Report: Durant Scores, James Adds ++ Jokic + as USA Defeats Serbia

On July 28, the men’s basketball group stage of the Paris Olympics continued, with the US men’s team facing off against the Serbian men’s team.

In the first quarter, Serbia entered the game strongly, scoring four points in a row. Embiid missed two free throws, but James countered with a powerful dunk. However, Serbia continued to score and took a 10-2 lead. Curry hit a three-pointer to stop the bleeding, followed by Jokic scoring in the paint. Booker hit two consecutive three-pointers, and James completed a 2+1 play on a fast break. The US then went on a 12-2 run to take the lead. Jovic scored a three-pointer to stop the bleeding, then Durant came off the bench and immediately hit a three-pointer. Edwards also hit a three-pointer, followed by another three from Durant. Edwards finished the quarter with an alley-oop dunk, and the US led 25-20 at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Durant scored a mid-range shot, Misic hit a three-pointer, and Durant hit another three. James scored inside, giving the US a 32-23 lead. Misic scored a mid-range shot, but Durant hit yet another three-pointer. The US maintained control of the game. Jokic then started to dominate, completing two 2+1 plays and hitting a three-pointer, helping his team reduce the deficit. James responded with a three-pointer, followed by a Curry three-pointer. Dobric countered with a 3+1 play, allowing Serbia to catch up. Durant returned and hit a turnaround jump shot. Edwards hit a three-pointer, and Durant added another three. Durant then hit a buzzer-beating jump shot, and at halftime, the US led 58-49, with Durant scoring 21 points.

In the third quarter, James scored inside, Holiday hit a three-pointer, and Petrushev scored a mid-range shot. Embiid was called for a foul. The US team continued to score, with James hitting on a fast break. Jokic scored to stop the bleeding, Davis responded, and James scored again on a fast break, leading 73-59. Serbia scored on free throws, Davis completed a 2+1 play, and Jokic scored on a hook shot. Durant hit two free throws, Serbia struggled offensively, and Adebayo scored a jump shot, increasing the lead. Edwards scored on a last-second layup, and Serbia was scoreless in the final two minutes of the quarter. At the end of the third quarter, Serbia trailed 65-84.

In the fourth quarter, Jokic returned to the court. Adebayo scored with a two-handed dunk, Durant missed his first shot of the game, and Jokic scored inside, making the score 68-86. Then James, Durant, and Curry returned to the game. Misic hit a three-pointer, followed by a Jokic basket. Holiday hit a three-pointer to stabilize the game, and Curry scored on a layup. The game was no longer in doubt, and the US men’s team defeated Serbia 110-84 to start the tournament with a win.

Player Statistics

Serbia: Jokic 20 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 4 steals; Bogdanovic 14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; Dobric 13 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal; Misic 11 points, 2 assists; Avramovic 10 points, 2 assists, 2 steals; Marinkovic 6 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist; Jovic 5 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; Petrushev 4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal; Milutinov 1 point, 3 rebounds, 1 steal; Guduric 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal;

USA: Durant 23 points, 2 rebounds; James 21 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal; Holiday 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals; Booker 12 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals; Curry 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists; Edwards 11 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal; Davis 7 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal; Embiid 4 points, 2 rebounds; Adebayo 4 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists; White 2 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 2 steals;

Starting Lineups

USA: Curry, Holiday, Booker, James, Embiid

Serbia: Petrushev, Bogdanovic, Dobric, Jokic, Avramovic