USA vs. Serbia: TV Info, Live Stream and Preview for 2014 FIBA Championship
One game remains in the 2014 FIBA World Cup, as the United States and Serbia will battle for a gold medal.
Team USA has dominated the competition to this point, winning all eight of its games by at least 20 points. With a roster full of NBA All-Stars and other top players in the league, there is no questioning the talent on the squad.
On the other hand, Serbia had a much tougher path to the final. The team went just 2-3 in the group stage to barely earn a spot in the knockout round. Things turned around from there, though, as wins over Greece, Brazil and France show the team just keeps getting better.
While defeating the U.S. will be a tough task, we should have learned by now not to count out this quality group. This is certain to be an exciting matchup, so take a look at this guide to keep you informed with everything you need to know.
When: Sunday, Sept. 14
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Where: Madrid, Spain
Watch: ESPN2
Live Stream: ESPN3
Key Player for Serbia: Miroslav Raduljica
While Miroslav Raduljica is not the team's leading scorer, he might be the most important player on the floor in this game.
The U.S. has gotten by with its size and athleticism in the low post, getting plenty of second-chance points and other easy buckets in the paint. The 7-foot Serbian star has to be able to keep the ball away from Anthony Davis, Kenneth Faried and others.
Raduljica spent last season with the Milwaukee Bucks, averaging 3.8 points in 9.7 minutes per game. He has fared much better in this tournament, averaging 13.5 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He has reached double figures each time out as a quality inside presence for Serbia.
The key for him is to use his size to contribute more on the boards. He has to not only score but also give his team second opportunities on offense, as well as limiting opposing possessions to one shot.
If he can pick up his defensive efforts, Serbia will be in good shape.
Key Player for USA: Kyrie Irving
On a team full of talented players, you need someone who can help get the most out of everyone.
Kyrie Irving has done a good job at point guard, making plays for himself while also spreading the ball around to everyone on the floor.
He spoke earlier in the tournament about becoming something of a leader on the court, via ESPN.com's Marc Stein:
"There's no one main leader on this team.
I just try to bring the confidence that I have in myself to this team that we're the best in the world. We have respect for all the other countries and what they do, but...we have the best players in the world playing for our team [and now] we just have to go out and prove it every night.
"
Irving is averaging 10.8 points and 3.5 assists per game and is coming off arguably his best performance with 18 points against Lithuania.
Still, it is not the points that the U.S. needs. Irving has to figure out ways to create ball movement in the offense and make sure the squad can keep scoring as well as it has to this point.
Prediction
Serbia has showcased a lot of balance offensively with Milos Teodosic doing a great job creating plays at point guard. With Raduljica and Nemanja Bjelica scoring down low and Bogdan Bogdanovic shooting well from the outside, this team can score with anyone.
John Schuhmann of NBA.com notes how well the offense has played in recent games:
However, the U.S. is simply too good to beat. Every player who comes on the floor is an elite talent who can create his own shot and score with incredible efficiency.
Davis and Faried have also been forces down low and should be able to keep dominating the boards.
Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press even provided his own recap before the Sunday tipoff:
Expect the contest to be close in the early going as both teams bring their best effort. The problem is Team USA plays too fast and has too much depth for Serbia to stick around in the game.
The Americans should be able to pull away late in this one and secure the gold medal.
Predicted Score: USA 91, Serbia 72
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