As is the case with just about any major professional sports event, fans are convinced that the USA-Serbia men’s basketball semi-final game at the 2024 Olympics was rigged after a strange ending.
Soon after Noah Lyles was shocked by Boswana’s Letsile Tebogo in the men’s 200-meter race, it looked like a second major upset was about to happen at the 2024 Olympics on day 13 of the Paris games.
Nikola Jokic and Serbia held a 13-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, needing to hold on for just 10 minutes to pull off the historic upset. But LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry went full beast mode in the fourth quarter, and the Americans outscored Serbia 32-15 to pull out a 95-91 victory.
The turning point came with 7:19 remaining, when Durant made a three-pointer that cut the deficit to eight with 7:19 to go. Jokic was issued a foul, so the Americans kept possession. Devin Booker trilled a three to make it 78-73, and the US took over from there:
Jokic called for a foul here on a KD three. Do you agree with this call? #USABMNT #Serbia #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/2NBqBiPCsY
— Rate the Refs App (@Rate_the_Refs) August 8, 2024
The six-point play proved to be the ultimate difference-maker in USA’s four-point victory. That controversial call, coupled with the improbable comeback, has fans convinced that the game was rigged in USA’s favor:
Rigged 4th Q as expected.
When they give Jokic 4th personal foul then a momentum change. #basketball #Paris2024 #olympics
— Domen Zagar (@Domen128) August 8, 2024
rigged against jokic
— slotslights guys blender (@VINTWOMORETIMES) August 8, 2024
Rigged for USA.
Jokic > Embiid
— The Goat (@Everylastgoat) August 8, 2024
Shame on you!! The game was rigged and stolen against Serbia!! We all just saw what happened. Shame on you! These are not Olympics, this is complete SHAM!!! 👎🏻
— DŽ (@ajnamen) August 8, 2024
This game was rigged. Serbia was never going to be allowed to steal the limelight
— Wyatt (@WySantangelo) August 8, 2024
Because of the IOC’s rigged semifinals, I dont get to cal LeBron “LeBronze” online for the rest of his career.
— The Agartha Gazette (@AgarthaGazette) August 8, 2024
Refs calling bs for USA rigged by Nike wow that was obvious
— NBA-Grinch (@1BrickMoose) August 8, 2024
Ref ruined the game all was going well and they rigged it for them good game Serbia
— Olukeye Victor Ayomide (@dundy2021) August 8, 2024
The draw was rigged for France, but they didn’t count that Serbia can beat the USA.
The Dream team needed all the help from the refs. 🙄— Lena T (@jt22145225) August 8, 2024
The 6-point play was a joke. Additionally, the backcourt violation wasn’t even properly called. These bad decisions decided the game in favor of the USA. These woke #Olympics are a farce, and Serbia was robbed of their victory.
— Dr. Simon Goddek (@goddeketal) August 8, 2024
Curry saved the day for the Americans at the 2024 Olympics by tallying a game-high 36 points. The ageless James tallied a triple-double (16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists), while Embiid overcame a slow start to finish with 19 points.
USA vs. France In The 2024 Olympics Men’s Basketball Final
The host nation just barely outlasted Germany in another nail-biting semi-final affair, squeaking out a 73-69 victory to punch their ticket to the gold medal game. And so, it’ll be Victor Wembanyama and France against the U.S. on Saturday.
As for Jokic and his resilient teammates, they’ll try to avoid going home empty-handed when they play Germany in the bronze medal game.
