Serbia almost pulled off the shocker of all shockers at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but they ultimately failed to get the job done on Thursday. Nikola Jokic and Serbia fell prey to Stephen Curry and Team USA in a 95-91 loss in a semifinal matchup that will be talked about for a very long time.
Obviously disappointed at the result of the heavyweight showdown between two basketball superpowers, Serbia head coach Svetislav Pesic lamented the officiating, as he felt that his team was not given a fair shake. He particularly pointed out the lack of chances at the free throw line given to Serbia’s top two players in Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Via BasketNews:
“I’m angry because we didn’t get respect from the referees,” he said, per Mozzart Sport.
“You know that in Serbia there is a saying that whoever loses has the right to be angry. I’m angry because we didn’t get respect. I have to say that, because the best player in the world shot 4 free throws in 37 minutes,” Pesic argued, referring to Nikola Jokic not getting
“If our best scorer (Bogdan Bogdanovic) plays 32 minutes and shoots only one throw, that means strange things have been happening,” the veteran play-caller continued.
Jokic finished the game with 17 points on 7/17 shooting from the field and 3/4 from the foul line. Bogdanovic paced Serbia with 20 points but only had a free-throw attempt despite playing 31 points. Overall, Serbia was 10/12 from the charity stripe. As for Team USA, it was 9/14 from the free-throw line.
Pesic and Serbia still have a game to play at the Paris Olympics with a bronze medal matchup against Germany scheduled for this coming Saturday.
For More Olympics, NBA, WNBA, and College Basketball Content:
Follow me on X (formerly Twitter) at @Rexwell14. Also, do not forget to follow us at @HardwoodHeroics for even more great basketball content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in the world of the NBA – especially with all the NBA trade rumors swirling around and NBA free agency news – college basketball, and also the WNBA, click here!
