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The United States have breezed through the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup to the final. Serbia is the last team standing in their way of defending their crown. |
Madrid (dpa) - The game that could have been four years ago will finally happen on Sunday as the reigning champions United States take on Serbia for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup title.
Four years ago at Turkey 2010, Serbia lost on a layup by Turkey at the buzzer in the semi-finals miss their shot at the US in the final. But four years later, they get their chance at Madrid’s Palacio de Deportes.
This will be Serbia’s first ever finals at a world championship under the Serbia flag - winning five crowns as part of Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro.
This will be the Americans’s eighth final, and if the US can win on Sunday, it will be their fifth Worlds title, which would pull them even with Yugoslavia for first all time.
The United States are the most dominant team at Spain 2014, leading the competition in points, rebounds, and assists per game. They are averaging 101.5 points per a game, 18.5 points more than the next closest team.
Serbia are no offensive slouch themselves, being fourth in the tournament at 81.4 points per game. That average has gone up to 88 points a game in the knockout stage.
Serbia are second at the World Cup in three-point shooting percentage, making 39.9 percent of their attempts with point guard Milos Teodosic as their lead marksmen, as he leads the World Cup with 22 three-pointers.
Teodosic isn’t only Serbia’s best shooter, he’s also their most important player. The United States loves to pressure the ball full court and it will be Teodosic’s job to control the ball and be able to start Serbia’s offense. If he’s able to do that and keep up his hot shooting, Serbia has a chance in the game.
Serbian coach Sasha Djordjevic called Teodosic the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.
“With no doubt, he brought us here with his knowledge, he led us here. He’s the leader of this team,” said Djordjevic.
“He’s a great player. He’s the best point guard in Europe, maybe in the world,” guard Nikola Kalinic said of Teodosic.
The other double figure scorers for Serbia are post player Miroslav Raduljica, guard Bogdan Bogdanovic and forward Nemanja Bjelica.
The US have won all of their games by 20 points or more. Some teams are able to stick with them in the first half but the US are always able to pull away in the second half.
Six American players averaging over 10 points a game, led by NBA All-Star players James Harden and Anthony Davis.
But the best player for US has been Kenneth Faried who has been an absolute force on offense and defense. Faried is averaging 12.5 points per a game and leads US with 7.9 rebounds a game. He uses his immense athleticism and strength combined with an incredibly amount of energy to always stay active around the basket.
The US’s strengths are offensive rebounds and getting on the fast break. They keep hitting the offensive glass until they score, physically draining you. And they run quickly on to the fast break after a defensive stop, draining your stamina and energy. Serbia need to be able to slow down these two things to keep the game close.
