With all four of the Olympic quartefinals games completed on Tuesday, four teams are advancing to the semifinal round. The two semifinal games take place on Thursday and will remain single elimination.
Germany and France open the semifinal round with a game at 11:30 a.m. Eastern, while Team USA and Serbia play each other at 3:00 p.m. Eastern. The two winners will play for the gold on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET while the losers will face off for bronze at 5:00 a.m. ET on the same day.
Team USA got to the semifinal round by defeating Brazil by way of a 35-point blowout. Six players for the U.S. scored in double figures, with Devin Booker leading the way with 18 points.
As we noted, the United States did well to earn the top possible seed. Because of their positioning, they avoided a potential semifinal matchup with two of the stronger teams in the entire event in France or Germany, who will now play each other.
Serbia escaped a close overtime game against Australia with a five-point victory. Despite falling behind early, Serbia came back behind Nikola Jokic‘s 21 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 17 points while Vasilije Micic recorded 14 points and six assists off the bench.
This will be the third matchup between the U.S. and Serbia this summer, with the Americans winning both games (one exhibition and one group stage game). Germany defeated France in the group stage.
Although guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points, the Canadians fell to France 82-73. With Rudy Gobert dealing with injury, France’s top scorer was former NBAer Guerschon Yabusele (22 points). Isaia Cordinier, the 44th pick in the 2016 draft, finished with 20 points, while free agent guard Evan Fournier scored 15.
Franz Wagner continued his strong summer in the quarterfinals against Greece, scoring a team-high 18 points. Dennis Schröder recorded 13 points and eight assists as Germany moved past Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s team.
My only concern for the US is that Bruno Caboclo, who is a career 4 ppg scorer in the NBA, had 30 points against perennial All NBA Defense candidates.
He is a really good player and he deserves another chance at the nba, he has developed a lot since he last played in the nba but even when he played with Memphis he was very productive
This isn’t a good comparison. Caboclo is one of the best, if not the featured player on his team. When he was in the NBA, he was at the very end of the bench. Of course he is going to score more points if he is getting way more minutes. Plus, the international game is different. That’s why guys like Yabusele and Cordinier who couldn’t make it in the NBA are balling out.
Canada ……. yeah ok.
France vs Germany is the game to watch.
Fournier 15 pts in 22 mins.
Now people know why Kerr is playing the best players in the match up. Serbia down 24 came back. You can’t let off on the gas and worry about who is not playing. Never let up on a lead.
Serbia twice, South Sudan, Puerto Rico and Brazil. What a waste. Not a single game against that Group of Death, and likely only one of Germany or France. Hardly an advertisement for basketball. A missed occasion due to a ridiculous setup with so much rest and few games. Top two from the same group should not meet before the final, instead both semis are repeats. Hard to get excited. Hope Serbia keep it close but…big yawn.
Pretty much every non-US game has been good, so quality and competitiveness is there. It just needed more and better matchups.
Originally it was set up for USA to go versus Canada in quarterfinals and USA and Serbia if they meet again to be in finals. But FIBA as all corrupted oeganization changed that afer group phase so that in finals can be USA v Canada, but frenchies ruined their master plan. So before tournament paths looked totally different.
Seems Fournier is auditioning for more NBA playing time. He even moved his feet on defense.