US vs. Serbia Preview: Embiid Faces a Tough Challenge, Will Jokic Play in Back-to-Back Games?

On the morning of July 18 (EST), a highly anticipated men’s basketball friendly match will take place between the United States and Serbia.

The US currently ranks first in the world, while Serbia is fourth. Both teams have been grouped together in Group C for the Paris Olympics.

The US men’s basketball team for the Paris Olympics has been built around top-tier players from the league, including James, Curry, Durant, and Davis. Among the mid-career players are Tatum and Booker, while the newcomers include Edwards and Haliburton.

The US men’s basketball team recently played warm-up games against Canada and Australia. Although Steve Kerr led the team to victory in both matches, the performance of Team USA did not meet expectations, especially with issues in the utilization of Embiid. The need for significant ball possession slows down Embiid’s offensive and defensive pace, which in turn hinders the team’s ability to execute swift counterattacks effectively. This self-imposed handicap slightly undermines what should be America’s greatest strength.

In their game against Australia without Durant, Team USA held on for a 98-92 win but struggled in the final quarter, losing it 22-31 and appearing somewhat embarrassed by their opponents.

Davis contributed 17 points and 14 rebounds, leading in both categories. Embiid scored 10 points and grabbed 5 rebounds, while James and Adebayo also had 10 points each. Booker tallied 16 points, and Edwards added 14.

Serbia’s men’s basketball team also boasts numerous players of considerable skill, most notably three-time NBA regular season MVP Nikola Jokic. This 29-year-old versatile big man is among the best two or three players in the current NBA, averaging 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9 assists per game last season.

Micic, who faced some neglect in his initial NBA campaign with the Thunder, averaged 10.8 points and 6.2 assists after joining the Hornets, somewhat restoring his European superstar status.

Bogdanovic, playing for the Hawks, averaged a career-high 16.9 points last season, hitting three triples per game. On the FIBA stage, Bogdanovic often performs even better.

Serbia’s roster includes other notable players such as Pokusevski, Petrushev, and Milutinov, making the team incredibly strong overall.

In their warm-up game against Australia on the morning of July 17 (EST), Serbia lost 73-84. Jokic scored 14 points and 14 rebounds, Petrushev had 17 points, while Avramovic and Mitrovic both scored 12.

This upcoming friendly against the US men’s basketball team will see Serbia play back-to-back games. Questions remain about the Serbian lineup and player fatigue. A matchup between Jokic and Embiid would be intriguing, but whether they will face off is uncertain. As Olympic group rivals, both teams may hold back during this warm-up match, leaving the outcome and direction of the game unpredictable.

Serbia’s 16-man preliminary squad for the Paris Olympics: Jokic, Bogdanovic, Jovic, Micic, Pokusevski, Lucic, Guduric, Marinkovic, Dobric, Petrushev, Milutinov, Ristic, Avramovic, Yaramaz, Davidovac, Pravtsich.

USA’s 12-man roster: James, Curry, Durant, Embiid, Tatum, White, Booker, Holiday, Davis, Edwards, Adebayo, Haliburton.

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