Paris Olympics: Merciless Dream Team brushes off Serbia

The Dream Team started the basketball tournament at the Olympic Games just as expected - with a convincing and routine victory. Serbia played a very good first half. The US lead was not double-digit for the most time, and if it had not been for the superb Kevin Durant, the Serbs might have even had the lead. In the second half, the entire US team started playing the way they knew and eventually reached an advantage of 20+ points. Apart from the Phoenix Suns player, the three-point shot percentage made the key difference. The USA shot 18/32 (56%), while the Eagles had a terrible 24% (9/37) from behind the arc.

Serbia started the game very well with a 10-2 advantage, but then the popular Durantula appeared and destroyed all the Eagles' hopes. He shot 7/7 in the first half (2/2 for two, 5/5 for three, and 2/2 free throws), ending the game with only one miss in the last period, and almost by himself brought the US team a nine-point lead at the break. Additionally, the American shot 12/18 from behind the three-point line in the first half, and when such a talented roster has a "hot hand", nobody stands a chance.

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However, Serbian players opted to fight and show courage against the much stronger rival, which slightly annoyed LeBron James, who took it personally and celebrated almost every basket of his. In the second half, Jokic and Co. completely spoiled the three-point percentage, had too many turnovers, and the Americans knew how to use it. In the final quarter, Serbia reduced the gap from 20 to 13 points and that was the last Svetislav Pesic's boy did in the game. Ultimately, the Dream Team went into high gear, easily securing the convincing triumph.

Durant ended the game with 23 points and LBJ added two points less, seven rebounds and nine assists. In general, Steve Kerr's crew had as many as six double-digit players. Joel Embiid, who the home crowd booed the entire match for choosing the USA over France, finished the game with only four points. As for the Serbs, Nikola Jokic was the best with 20 points, five rebounds and eight assists, while Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic ended with 14 points. In the next round, on Wednesday, Serbia face Puerto Rico, and the USA play against South Sudan.