Steve Kerr: USA vs. Serbia Among 'Greatest Basketball Games I've Ever Been a Part of'

The United States men's basketball team had to stage a furious rally to overcome a 17-point first-half deficit against Serbia on Thursday, eventually winning 95-91 behind Stephen Curry's 36 points, LeBron James' triple-double and the best game Joel Embiid has played for the national team.

It was an instant classic, and it puts the Americans one win away from claiming a fifth straight gold medal in men's basketball.

"Serbia was brilliant today and I am really humbled to have been a part of this game," Team USA head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game. "It's one of the greatest basketball games I've ever been a part of."

Serbia was indeed fantastic, and it wasn't only three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić who gave the United States fits. The Serbs hit 15 threes in total, punishing the United States' help defense and slow rotations.

But ultimately, Curry, James, Embiid and the rest of the Americans were too much for Serbia to overcome.

"They were perfect," Kerr told reporters. "They played a perfect game. Our coaches were saying Villanova-Georgetown [in the 1985 NCAA title game, won by Villanova], for all of our older readers and viewers out there. But they played the perfect game and they forced us to reach the highest level of competition that we could find. And our guys were incredible in that fourth quarter and they got it done."