FIBA World Cup 2014 Results: Examining Team USA's and Serbia's Paths to Finals
For one side, it's business as usual. For the other, it's the chance to pull off the greatest victory in its country's history during an improbable 2014 FIBA World Cup championship game.
As expected, Team USA will fight for the gold after decimating every opponent that dared to get in its way. Much less anticipated, however, was Serbia benefiting from a Spain upset while knocking out Brazil and France.
Using the typical underdog narrative, the United States will play the antagonist in the FIBA World Cup final, expected by everyone to destroy a team ranked No. 11 heading into the tournament.
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Let's take a look at the roads traveled by each championship participant.
| United States vs. Serbia | Sun., 9/14 | 3 p.m. | ESPN2 |
Team USA
The United States dealt with few speed bumps along the way, cruising through the field with a 32.5-point average margin of victory.
No final outcome was particularly close either. The NBA's official Twitter page gave a look at each game's point differential:
However, Team USA suffered a brief scare in group play against Turkey, who entered halftime with a five-point lead. Entering the final quarter, the U.S. held a narrow six-point advantage, but a late surge ended any fears of an early upset.
Staying competitive for three quarters but eventually winning by 21: That was the Americans' toughest challenge so far.
An unstoppable juggernaut by everyone's standard, this roster is more of a B-plus Dream Team. Minus LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Love and Russell Westbrook, Jerry Colangelo and Mike Krzyzewski still assembled a well-rounded roster.
In their absence, Anthony Davis has risen to the occasion, leading the team with 2.2 blocks per game while rating second in points (13.0) and rebounds (6.9). The 21-year-old's massive length made lobs like this one, via NBA on ESPN, impossible to defend:
Kenneth Faried has also made an indelible impact in Spain. The Denver Nuggets power forward has provided terrific energy, outrunning opposing forwards while also outmuscling them with a team-high 7.9 boards per contest.
He has scored 12.5 points per game on an incredible 67.5 percent shooting, all the more amazing considering his 13.7 scoring average with Denver last year. Faried detailed the varied mindset he has developed with Team USA to ESPN.com's Marc Stein:
"This is different right now. In Denver I'm not really as vocal. I'm kind of vocal, but I didn't think my voice really mattered in Denver. For us to be at this level, playing for the United States and the coach says your voice matters and we need you to be loud and we need you to be who you are, it's just an honor.
"
Ir's that depth that makes the U.S. so dangerous. Whether it's Faried and Davis bruising bodies down low, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson draining threes or Kyrie Irving and James Harden gunning down the court, Team USA has won in a plethora of ways.
After dispatching Lithuania with ease in the semifinals, Serbia is now all that stands in the way of the gold.
Serbia
A surprising championship sparring partner, Serbia went 2-3 in group play before winning three straight en route to the finals.
Two of those losses came against the very teams they later eliminated, Brazil and France. The turnaround against Brazil was particularly striking, as Serbia avenged an eight-point loss with a 28-point victory in the quarterfinals.
Guard Milos Teodosic took over during the rematch, scoring 23 points during the blowout. He then responded with 24 against France in an epic semifinal clash.
Given the nature of France's opening 74-73 triumph, another close call felt imminent. Both sides delivered, with France cutting a double-digit lead to as little as four during a wild fourth quarter in which it scored 39 points.
Despite Nicolas Batum's best efforts, his 35 points could not derail Serbia, who rode another great outing from Teodosic and 11 fourth-quarter points from Bogdan Bogdanovic to salvage the win.
Teodosic discussed the prospect of facing the top dog to reporters: "Every player when he was a kid was dreaming to play in a world championship final, and especially against (the United) States."
It's possible he could one day make a living playing against NBA players. Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey is one of many who would love to keep watching him play after the World Cup:
Had Spain defeated France as expected, Serbia would likely not be preparing for its tilt against Team USA. Spain topped Serbia by 16 in group play behind 20 points from Pau Gasol. The team consisting of Pau and Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Ricky Rubio, Rudy Fernandez and Jose Calderon posed a tangible threat to the Americans' throne.
But that's not how the cookie crumbled. Serbia caught fire at the perfect time, as its offense averaged 88.3 points per game in its three wins outside the group stage. It'll take that type of offensive clinic and more to keep up with the U.S., who have averaged 102.0 points per game.
Prediction
Sure, miracles can happen. Anything can come true if you try hard enough and all that jazz, but Team USA is light-years better than Serbia.
International basketball just isn't fair with NBA professionals donning red, white and blue uniforms. The U.S. hasn't lost in eight years, and that's not about to change on Sunday.
After Batum scorched Serbia in the semifinals, Harden and Thompson are preparing for monster outings in the tournament's swan song. An upset isn't in the cards for this one.
Prediction: United States 98, Serbia 77
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