Some thought it in poor taste for the U.S. Olympic basketball team to celebrate its last-second victory over Germany, a non-Olympic qualifier, in Wednesday’s exhibition game.
No raucous celebration followed Friday night’s 78-60 dismantling of world champion Serbia-Montenegro at the host team’s Belgrade Arena.
The quiet confidence spoke volumes about the Americans’ improved state of mind.
“We just keep getting better. As time wears on, we are becoming more of a team,” LeBron James said.
Hardly resembling the team that lost to Italy by 17 points on Tuesday, the Americans put together their best all-around effort of the pre-Olympic primer before a crowd of 16,245.
The U.S. defense forced 17 turnovers and held their opponent to 26 first-half points in a surprisingly easy win. Tim Duncan led the Americans with 16 points, and James contributed 11 points off the bench.
“We needed this for our confidence and needed it to look back on and see what we did right,” guard Dwyane Wade said.
The Americans found themselves in an unfamiliar role as underdogs. Local Serbian betting parlors installed the home team as four-point favorites, according to the Associated Press.
The passionate Serbian fans sounded like a swarm of cicadas as they derisively whistled every time the Americans touched the ball in the first quarter. It’s Europe’s traditional way of booing.
James, Wade and Carmelo Anthony helped turned the building into a reading room in the second quarter as they sparked a 14-0 run that pushed the American lead to 34-17.
“The Young Gunners came in and produced,” James said.
