It was U.S. vs US.
For nearly two hours Thursday afternoon, Denver divided along party lines that had nothing to do with Democrats and Republicans.
Team USA faced Serbia in the semifinal round of the men’s basketball tournament at the Summer Games in Paris. Those who view the Olympics only in colors — red, white and blue — cheered eagerly and anxiously for the Americans. Those in Denver who waited 47 years to celebrate an NBA championship found themselves pulling for the Nuggets’ three-time most valuable player Nikola Jokic.
What unfurled was a classic. Team USA overcame a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit, advancing to the title game against France on Saturday with a 95-91 victory.
Admit it. Many of you were disappointed. Jokic is our local treasure, the Nuggets’ answer to John Elway. Even if you were pulling for the Americans, you did not root against Jokic. How could you? Complicating matters is the fact that Team USA features so many players that Nuggets fans detest.
LeBron James? He is ageless, one of the greatest ever, but known in Ball Arena for his Fine Whine.
Joel Embiid? He has not played in Denver since 2019, ducking matchups with Jokic. When I asked the 76ers star about facing the Nuggets star in the Olympics last month, he responded, “I don’t care about Jokic.” Unless, of course, the game is in Philadelphia. On his terms.
Devin Booker? Does “Suns in Four” ring a bell?
Steph Curry? OK, he doesn’t froth us in anger save for the annoying chomping of his mouthpiece.
The American men are seeking their fifth straight gold medal. USA coach Steve Kerr insisted his current roster includes 12 Hall of Famers — a boast that has grown increasingly questionable over the past month.
Jokic played with zero All-Stars on Thursday, though Bogdan Bogdanovic performed like one with his sharp-shooting and razor-tongue taunting of former Nuggets legend Carmelo Anthony in his courtside seat.
As a reminder, this is not the 1992 Dream Team. It is not the 2008 Redeem Team. They almost became the Meme Team.
Had the Americans lost with Celtics star Jayson Tatum never taking off his sweats, the postgame questions would have created squirms. Even Draymond Green called out Kerr, his Golden State Warriors coach, posting on social media, “Sometimes you have to scrap them rotations.”
The world has closed the gap. There are only inches left. Little margin for error exists. However, in Denver, we already knew this. Jokic is the great equalizer. Nobody elevates teammates like him. He could play with four fire hydrants and post a triple-double.
“Big Honey really the best player in the world! Way to fight 15,” tweeted former Nuggets guard Bruce Brown, who made millions in free agency by playing alongside Jokic for one golden season.
We watch Jokic play basketball for the same reason we stare at the Louvre’s paintings and track the sunset behind Longs Peak. It is art, his passes, shots, picks and blocks providing a deeper meaning because of his patience and unselfishness.
Team USA beat Serbia for the second time in Paris. Escaped is a more apt description.
The Serbians played the Americans even in Jokic’s 31 minutes on the floor in their group stage opener — and were outscored by 26 when he was on the bench. The next time they met in the knockout round, Jokic played all but 2 minutes, 19 seconds of the contest while battling foul trouble — and Team USA won by only four.
Jokic’s brilliance (17 points, five rebounds, 11 assists) left the Americans staring at humiliation with 3:06 remaining on Thursday.
At that moment, Embiid dribbled the ball out of bounds. Embiid was partly to blame for the Americans trailing by 17 in the first half. His defense wasn’t good enough. But he accepted the challenge and delivered in the second, posting 19 points despite the French fans booing him for not playing for their country and medal-chasing with the Americans.
Leading 86-84, Serbia, the better team for three quarters, had an opportunity to widen its advantage with a wide-open 3-pointer with 2:32 left. The knuckleball clanked off the rim. Serbia made 15 of 29 from behind the arc through the first three quarters and missed all nine of their attempts in the fourth.
This miss spurred a stirring rally from American basketball royalty. While Jokic was the best player on the floor, Steph Curry, suffering through a slump in his first Olympic experience, was the best shooter. He nailed a 3-pointer, giving the Americans an 87-86 lead.
Just like that, Team USA’s dominance returned. James started and finished a fast break, steaming down the lane for a reverse layup. Curry followed with a bucket, part of his game-high 36 points. And Kevin Durant caused a backcourt violation with his rangy defense.
Jokic needed help.
Instead an earlier six-point possession by the Americans that shaved the deficit to 78-73 — Jokic was called for a foul after running into Anthony Davis as Durant made a 3 — came back to haunt him. And his coach Svetislav Pesic let him down after a Jokic basket drew Serbia to within 93-91 with 23 seconds left. Common sense demanded a foul if there was no steal on the inbounds. Instead, the Americans drained 15 seconds off the clock, squashing any chance of a historic Serbian upset when Curry nailed two free throws.
The Americans failed to win gold in 2004, which forced officials to address dysfunction and recruit better players. In 2008, Spain offered a scare before Kobe Bryant saved them.
This was different. Our best are on this team. The Americans opened as 17-point favorites. And yet with a few minutes remaining, LeBron was in danger of becoming LeBronze.
There was one reason why.
Jokic will only be 33 years old in 2028. Americans, you have been warned. Denver will be a fractured city again when Jokic seeks revenge in Los Angeles.
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Originally Published: August 8, 2024 at 6:57 p.m.
