Defense lifts Team USA, 78-60

By Chris Sheridan
Associated Press

BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro — Perhaps the worst is in the past for the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team.

Team USA's LeBron James, right, defended Milos Vujanic of Serbia-Montenegro during last night's exhibition game. Associated Press

The Americans took a partisan crowd out of the game by holding Serbia-Montenegro to just nine points in the second quarter, showing none of the faults that hampered them in games against Italy and Germany while shutting down an opponent that appeared both overconfident and incompetent.

"We played hard and we tried to do what was right, and I think that was a significant step," Brown said.

Tim Duncan led the U.S. team with 16 points, LeBron James added 11 and the entire team played with a level of determination that should go a long way toward re-establishing them as one of the favorites for the gold medal in Athens.

When the evening began, they weren't even picked to win the game. Local betting parlors listed the Serbian team as a four-point favorite.

"We are the team that everyone wants to play their best basketball against," Lamar Odom said. "We're playing for a lot, and it means a lot to us."

The U.S. team went 14 for 14 from the free-throw line and 30 of 60 from the field while holding the Serbian team to 35 percent shooting overall and 1-for-14 accuracy from 3-point range.

A crowd of about 18,000 showed the Americans their respect by standing and applauding as the game ended.

"We have a young team and are still learning about each other and hopefully that will improve as each of these games goes on," Brown said. "The experience we had playing here was real important for us."

Rather than playing a zone as Italy and Germany did almost exclusively in the Americans' earlier exhibition games, the Serbian team went with a man-to-man.

The U.S. team also played man-to-man defense, and two of the game's best one-on-one moves were made by Dejan Bodiroga — often called the best player in Europe — against Carmelo Anthony. The first was the most impressive, Bodiroga dribbling behind his back and through his legs before darting around Anthony for a layup.

"It was his extreme desire to play," said Serbia-Montenegro coach Zelimar Obradovic, who said Bodiroga had a knee injury. "He got an injection and played and that's it. With the (U.S.) Olympic team playing in Belgrade, he definitely did not want to miss this game."

The Americans bounced back after missing their first five shots and led 20-17 after one quarter.

The game got away from Serbia-Montenegro early in the second quarter, and the big run brought the American players and coaches off the bench in jubilation.

It was 42-26 at halftime, and the Serbs' frustration became evident in the third quarter.

Vladimir Radmanovic, who shot 2 for 8 and played poorly throughout, spiked a bottle of water to the floor after being yanked from the game, showering the court with water.

Igor Rakocevic led Serbia-Montenegro with 18 points, and Bodiroga — who did not start — added 14. NBA players Predrag Drobnjak and Zarko Cabarkapa did not play as Obradovic gave more time to his younger players.

The U.S. team's next game will be against Turkey tomorrow.