The United States faced Serbia in the USA Basketball Showcase exhibition ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics at 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The Americans recently secured a close 98-92 win over Australia, led by former Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey. Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis spearheaded Team USA with 17 points and 14 rebounds. They also claimed an 86-72 victory against Canada in Las Vegas last Wednesday.
Serbia, led by Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, is coming off an 84-73 loss to Australia on Tuesday. Historically, Team USA boasts a 36-3 record in pre-Olympic exhibition games.
Final: United States 105, Serbia 79
The United States outperformed Serbia 77-51 in the last three quarters for a decisive 26-point win. Steph Curry scored 24 points, made six three-pointers, and shot 8-of-12 from the floor. Team USA limited Jokic to eight points, seven rebounds, and a 3-of-10 shooting effort. This brings the United States to a 3-0 record in their pre-Olympic showcase schedule.
Middle of fourth quarter: United States 97, Serbia 66
Vasilije Micic started the fourth quarter with a three-pointer for Serbia, but Team USA soon took control. LeBron James highlighted the quarter with an alley-oop, extending the United States’ lead to 31 points and closing the first half of the fourth quarter with a strong finish.
End of third quarter: United States 83, Serbia 58
After a tough start, Team USA took a firm lead by the end of the third quarter. Curry, Bam Adebayo, and Anthony Edwards combined for 49 of the team’s 83 points. Curry and Edwards shot 10-of-20 from the floor, and Adebayo contributed with six rebounds.
Middle of third quarter: United States 73, Serbia 55
Team USA executed well in the third quarter, though Serbia’s Marinkovic and Dobric hit back-to-back three-pointers to cut the lead.
Halftime: United States 59, Serbia 45
Curry sparked a 19-5 run with a four-point play, followed by an Anthony Edwards three-pointer. Curry ended the first half with 18 points, and Adebayo and Davis bolstered the team with strong defensive plays. Jokic contributed eight points and seven rebounds for Serbia in the first half.
Middle of second quarter: United States 40, Serbia 40
Serbia began the second quarter with a 6-0 run, but LeBron James capped it with a three-point play. Joel Embiid’s free throws, Jrue Holiday’s layup, and Curry’s three-pointer tied the game at 40-40 midway through the second.
End of first quarter: United States 28, Serbia 28
Anthony Edwards gave Team USA a 26-24 lead with a step-back three-pointer and free throws, but Serbia tied the game with a layup at the buzzer.
Middle of first quarter: United States 13, Serbia 16
Steph Curry started strong with a three-pointer, scoring the first nine points for Team USA. However, they trailed 16-13 midway through the first quarter.
Team USA makes changes to starting lineup
Team USA’s lineup for Wednesday included Steph Curry, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid. Holiday returned to the lineup after Anthony Edwards started against Australia. Serbia’s starting lineup featured Aleksa Avramovic, Marko Guduric, Ognjen Dobric, Filip Petrusev, and Nikola Jokic.
Former Thunder forward Aleksej Pokusevski, who was traded to the Hornets in February, is set to join a Serbian club, according to Sportal. Alongside him in the trade was Serbian national team member Vasilije Micic.
Team USA’s future showcases include matches against South Sudan and Germany. The roster boasts prominent NBA players, while Serbia’s roster features notable names like Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic.
USA Basketball Showcase schedule results:
– July 10: USA 86, Canada 72
– July 15: USA 98, Australia 92
– July 17: USA 105, Serbia 79
– Upcoming: USA vs. South Sudan on July 20, USA vs. Germany on July 22
Team rosters and highlights for both teams are available. The USA TODAY Network provides independent coverage of all games.