USA Surges in Fourth Quarter to Secure Victory Over Serbia in Olympic Semifinals
In a thrilling semifinal matchup at the 2024 Olympics, the USA men's basketball team mounted a remarkable comeback to defeat Serbia, 95-91, securing their spot in the gold medal game against France.
The game, which was characterized by intense competition and dramatic momentum shifts, saw the USA struggle early on as Serbia took control. At one point, the Americans found themselves trailing by 17 points, facing a formidable Serbian squad led by standout performances from Aleksa Avramovic, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Ognjen Dobric, who were lethal from 3-point range. Nikola Jokic also made his presence felt, nearly playing the entire game and contributing 17 points and a game-high 11 assists.
Serbia's dominance was evident for over 35 of the 40 minutes of play, with the USA entering the final quarter down by 13 points. However, in a game where every single decision mattered, U.S. coach Steve Kerr opted to lean on the wisdom and experience of his veteran players to turn the tide in the critical moments.
"Having spent most of the Olympics playing a deep rotation, U.S. coach Steve Kerr relied heavily on his veterans with the game on the line," an observer noted, emphasizing Kerr’s strategic shift.
The lineup that would ultimately change the course of the game featured Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, and Devin Booker. This group spearheaded an extraordinary resurgence, outscoring Serbia 32-15 in the fourth quarter.
Stephen Curry, in particular, delivered a masterclass performance, making nine 3-pointers, the second-most by a U.S. men's basketball player in Olympics history, and racking up a total of 36 points. His shooting was instrumental in the USA's scoring outburst that overwhelmed Serbia’s defenses in the final minutes.
LeBron James, meanwhile, was indispensable in every aspect of the game. "James, meanwhile, was everywhere down the stretch. Playing the entire fourth quarter, he had six points, six rebounds and four assists and finished with his second career Olympics triple-double: 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists," the account of his performance underscored.
As the game drew to a close, Serbia found themselves struggling to keep up, missing all nine of their 3-point attempts in the fourth quarter. Steve Kerr's only significant change in the final quarter was substituting Joel Embiid for Anthony Davis, a move that paid off as the tension continued to build until the final seconds.
One of the few challenges the American side faced was the performance of Derrick White, who played for 6:46 minutes but during that span, the team was outscored by 16 points. Nevertheless, Kevin Durant stood out as the only U.S. player with a positive plus-minus in the semifinals, showcasing his vital contributions to the team’s overall effort.
With this hard-fought victory over a formidable Serbian team, the USA men's basketball team now turns their focus to the gold medal game against France. The resilience and experience demonstrated under pressure reflect the team’s depth and the strategic acumen of coach Steve Kerr, setting the stage for what promises to be a gripping finale to their Olympic journey.