Getty Serbia's Nikola Jokic takes a free throw against Australia during the Paris 2024 Olympics on August 6, 2024.
Team USA will face Serbia on August 8 in the second semifinal of the 2024 Paris Olympics men’s basketball tournament, with the winner advancing to face either Germany or France in the gold medal game.
While Team USA — in pursuit of their fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal — start as the prohibitive favorites over Serbia, former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins has cautioned the Steve Kerr-led team against taking the Serbians lightly.
Speaking on the August 6 episode of “NBA Today” on ESPN, Perkins said that Jokic — a three-time NBA MVP and one-time NBA Finals MVP — strikes fear into the hearts of his opponents more than any other player in the world. As such, Perkins opined that Jokic “scares” even the mighty Team USA with all their talented players.
“He is so dangerous that if there’s one individual who can rally a ballclub or a team and do it singlehandedly in all phases, Jokic is that guy,” Perkins said. “He’s done it multiple years in the NBA, and he’s doing it right now in the Olympics. … Jokic scares everyone, including the guys representing our country.”
Nikola Jokic Made History in Paris
Jokic will enter the clash against Team USA fresh off his masterpiece against the Australians in the quarterfinal, where the Serb registered a stat line of 21 points, 14 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks and 4 steals. Jokic singlehandedly helped Serbia erase a 24-point deficit — the largest comeback in Olympic history — and then put his imprint on the game in the five-minute overtime period.
Nikola Jokic’s DOMINANT performance in #Paris2024 leads Serbia into the semifinals 💪
His near triple-double helped erase a 24-point deficit and secure the OT win!
🇷🇸 21 PTS | 14 REB | 8 AST | 4 STL 🇷🇸
After the game, Perkins said that Jokic reminded the world of his dominance.
“He proved that he’s still the best player in the world,” Perkins said. “I know [Kevin Durant] and [LeBron James] have been putting on a show [for Team USA], and obviously, because we live in the United States — but at the end of the day, Jokic is still the best basketball player in the world.”
Perkins acknowledged Jokic’s ability to guide his country to the semifinals despite the squad’s lack of star power. It has only two other NBA players: the Hawks’ Bogdan Bogdanovic and the Heat’s Nikola Jovic.
“When it comes down to what he’s doing more with less. … And it’s not a knock to his teammates, but they are not stacked like Team USA,” Perkins said of the Serbia roster.
Team USA Favored Heavily
Despite Jokic’s tremendous play in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Team USA enters the August 8 game as a 16.5-point favorite, per BetMGM Sportsbook.
The oddsmakers probably took into consideration the previous matchup between Team USA and Serbia — the opening fixture at the Olympics — where LeBron James and Co. ran away with a dominant 110-84 win. However, in that game, Jokic played only 30:45 of the maximum 40 minutes. He is expected to play closer to all the 40 minutes after the Nuggets star played nearly 39 minutes in the quarterfinal win against Australia.
Interestingly, Serbia was 81-81 when Jokic was on the floor during their previous matchup with Team USA on July 28.
Serbia was on the even playing field with Nikola Jokic being on the court versus Team USA😳🇷🇸 #Paris2024
WITH JOKIC | 81-81
WITHOUT JOKIC | 3-29
Team USA is unwilling to take Serbia lightly despite its recent dominance of the European nation. Durant told the media on August 6 that Serbia’s familiarity with his team could make for a close contest.
“They’re just more familiar with us,” Durant said, via EuroHoops.net. “Understand how we’re coming up there. You understand them as well. So it’s going to be about who wants it more, you know what I’m saying? We’re going to watch the film, study tendencies and all that stuff.”
The winner will face either Germany or France in the gold medal game on August 10.
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Nikola Jokic ‘Scares’ Team USA in Olympics: Ex-NBA Champion