2023 FIBA World Cup Preview: Who will win the gold medal?

Quarterfinals - Third Match-Up: Anthony Edwards and Team USA will take on Bogdan Bogdanovic and Serbia

Who do we expect to advance? USA

Serbia has the talent to make this game interesting, and they probably will. How long they make it interesting will depend on their three-point shooting. 

Not just Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Jovic, but also their role players. Bogdanovic will be running as many pick-and-rolls as possible with Nikola Milutinov and will be kicking out to Ognjen Dobric, Marko Guduric, Jovic, Filip Petrusev, and Alen Smailagic. 

If these role players are making open shots for four quarters, they’ll have the offense to stay in this game. 

On the other side of the ball, they have the size to match up with Team USA, but playing Milutinov alongside Petrusev or Smailagic could kill them. 

Milutinov is already not quick enough to move his feet with Team USA opponents, and Petrusev and Smailagic are even slower. One player on the court for Team USA to exploit is probably enough to make sure they win, two is gift wrapping the win for them. 

Serbia will probably resort to drop coverage, but Team USA should still be comfortable finishing against whoever Serbia’s backline is. 

It might be competitive for a while, but Team USA should pull away and win this one.