The U.S. is just days away from its semifinal clash with Nikola Jokic and Serbia – a game that is expected to be tighter than their previous group stage meeting – and they enter the game with some bumps and bruises.
LeBron James left the game in the third quarter after an accidental elbow just above the left eye of Brazilian Georginho De Paula. He needed four points to close it out, U.S. coach Steve Kerr said after the game. LeBron returned to the bench in the fourth quarter – just as the crowd erupted for French swimmer Léon Marchand, who had entered the building – but did not return to the court, as the game was well controlled at that point. After the game, LeBron told ESPN’s Marc Spears“I’m fine. I just got hit by an inadvertent elbow.”
Joel Embiid led the US in scoring in the first half with 14 points, but did not play in the second half afterwards telling Kerr that he felt some discomfort in his ankle. Much like LeBron’s situation, with the U.S. up 27 at halftime, there was no reason to pressure Embiid to return. Anthony Davis started the second half and the USA headed to victory.
Kerr will want LeBron and Embiid against Serbia.
Embiid because he’s a big body brought in partially just for this matchup against Jokic – as good a defender as Davis is, Jokic can punish him inside. With LeBron, the USA began to pull away from Serbia in the group stage, when the Serbs tried to double LeBron in points and he shared them with his passes. Both things will be important on Thursday (3 p.m. ET on USA Network and Peacock) whether the US will play for gold.
