2024-07-18 05:40:02
It’s the United States vs. Serbia in the USA Basketball Showcase exhibition ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics at 11 a.m. CT Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The Americans are coming off a closer-than-expected win Monday against former Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey and Australia. Team USA held on for a 98-92 win as Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis led the Americans with 17 points and 14 rebounds.
Team USA won its showcase opener last Wednesday, 86-72 against Canada in Las Vegas.
Serbia, which is led by Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, is coming off an 84-73 loss to Australia on Tuesday.
Team USA is 36-3 all-time in pre-Olympic exhibition games.
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Final: United States 105, Serbia 79
Team USA outscored Serbia 77-51 during the last three-quarters of its 26-point win over Serbia on Wednesday.
Curry had 24 points, made six three-pointers and shot 8-of-12 from the floor. Team USA held Jokic to eight points, seven rebounds and a 3-of-10 shooting effort.
The United States is now 3-0 in its pre-Olympic showcase schedule.
-Gracie Rawlings, Sports Intern
Middle of fourth quarter: United States 97, Serbia 66
Micic opened up the fourth quarter with a three-pointer for Serbia, but the next five minutes would be dominated by Team USA. After getting called for basket interference LeBron James, would highlight the start of the fourth quarter an alley-oop to give the United States a 31-point lead. James would close out the first half of the fourth quarter in the same fashion, after finishing through the foul at the rim.
-Gracie Rawlings, Sports Intern
End of third quarter: United States 83, Serbia 58
After struggling during the first 10 minutes of play, Team USA took a commanding lead after three quarters. Curry, Adebayo and Edwards combined for 49 of the United States’ 83-points. Curry and Edwards are 10 of 20 from the floor and Adebayo has six rebounds.
-Gracie Rawlings, Sports Intern
Middle of third quarter: United States 73, Serbia 55
Team USA has executed at all levels during the third quarter. However, Marinkovic and Dobric made back-to-back three-pointers for Serbia to try and cut the lead.
-Gracie Rawlings, Sports Intern
Halftime: United States 59, Serbia 45
Curry would spark a 19-5 run after converting on a four-point play. Anthony Edwards would follow up with another made three-pointer to give the United States a seven-point lead. Curry, who went just 1-of-6 from the three-point line against Australia, had 18-points in the first half.
Bam Adebayo was solid coming off the bench for Team USA and Davis blocked serval shots around the rim to give Team USA a 14-point lead.
Nikola Jokic had eight points and seven rebounds in the first half.
-Gracie Rawlings, Sports Intern
Middle of second quarter: United States 40, Serbia 40
Serbia started the second quarter with a 6-0 run, but LeBron James executed a three point play after getting fouled on a made basket in the paint.
Two made free throws from Joel Embidd, a layup from Jrue Holiday and a made three-pointer by Curry would tie the game 40-40 midway through the second.
-Gracie Rawlings, Sports Intern
End of first quarter: United States 28, Serbia 28
After having to play from behind for most of the first quarter, Anthony Edwards gave Team USA a 26-24 lead with less than a minute to go after making a step-back 3-pointer and going 2-of-2 at the free throw line.
He had another pair of free throws at the end of the first quarter with a pair of free throws, but Serbia tied the game with a layup at the buzzer.
-Gracie Rawlings, Sports Intern
Middle of first quarter: United States 13, Serbia 16
Steph Curry kicked off the game against Serbia with a 3-pointer to give Team USA an early lead.
He would score his team’s first nine points of the game, but USA already faced a 16-13 deficit halfway through the first quarter.
-Gracie Rawlings, Sports Intern
Team USA makes changes to starting lineup
Team USA will start Steph Curry, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James and Joel Embiid on Wednesday.
Holiday returns to the lineup after Anthony Edwards started on Monday against Australia. Holiday had already started once for Team USA against Canada.
Serbia will start Aleksa Avramovic, Marko Guduric, Ognjen Dobric, Filip Petrusev and Nikola Jokic.
-Gracie Rawlings, Sports Intern
Report: Former Thunder forward Aleksej Pokusevski set to join Serbian club
Free agent forward Aleksej Pokusevski is set to return to Serbia to continue his pro basketball career according to a report from Sportal.
The Thunder selected Pokusevski 17th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. Pokusevski played 150 games with OKC before being traded to the Hornets in February for Gordon Hayward.
Fellow Serbia national team member Vasilije Micic was also part of that trade.
—Jeff Patterson, Staff writer
What time is Team USA vs Serbia in USA Basketball Showcase?
- Date: Wednesday, July 17
- Time: 11 a.m. CT
- Where: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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What channel is Team USA vs Serbia on TV today?
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Team USA basketball roster
- Bam Adebayo, C (Miami Heat)
- Devin Booker, G (Phoenix Suns)
- Stephen Curry, G (Golden State Warriors)
- Anthony Davis, F/C (Los Angeles Lakers)
- Kevin Durant, F, (Phoenix Suns)
- Anthony Edwards, G (Minnesota Timberwolves)
- Joel Embiid, C (Philadelphia 76ers)
- Tyrese Haliburton, G (Indiana Pacers)
- Jrue Holiday, G (Boston Celtics)
- LeBron James, F (Los Angeles Lakers)
- Jayson Tatum, F (Boston Celtics)
- Derrick White, G (Boston Celtics)
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Team Serbia basketball roster
- Vasilije Micic, Charlotte Hornets
- Aleksej Pokusevski, Free agent
- Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks
- Nikola Jovic, Miami Heat
- Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Vladimir Lucic, FC Bayern Munich
- Marko Guduric, Fenerbahce Istanbul
- Vanja Marinkovic, Partizan Belgrade
- Ognjen Dobric, Virtus Bologna
- Filip Petrusev, Olympiacos Piraeus
- Nikola Milutinov, Olympiacos Piraeus
- Dusan Ristic, Lenovo Tenerife
- Aleksa Avramovic, Partizan Belgrade
- Ognjen Jaramaz, Partizan Belgrade
- Dejan Davidovac, Crvena Zvezda Belgrade
- Uros Plavsic, Crvena Zvezda Belgrade
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USA Basketball Showcase schedule
- July 10: USA 86, Canada 72
- July 15: USA 98, Australia 92
- July 17: USA vs. Serbia, 11 a.m. CT, FS1, Abu Dhabi
- July 20: USA vs. South Sudan, 2 p.m. CT, Fox, London
- July 22: USA vs. Germany, 2 p.m. CT, Fox, London
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Team USA vs Serbia highlights in USA Basketball Showcase
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