Kevin Durant reflects on Bogdanovic's 'three to the dome' celebration in front of Carmelo Anthony in emotional Olympic semifinal
Kevin Durant and Team USA overcame significant adversity to capture gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In their semifinal matchup against Serbia, the Americans fell behind by double digits early, with Serbian guard Bogdan Bogdanovic engaging in controversial showmanship. However, according to Durant, his squad was unfazed by Bogdanovic's confidence.
Despite being the prohibitive favorite against Serbia, the U.S. trailed for 35:12 of the 40-minute contest. It fell behind by as many as 17 points in the first half, struggling to match the Serbians' hot shooting.
Late in the second quarter, Bogdanovic hit a 3-pointer to put Serbia up 47-32. Afterward, he performed Team USA legend Carmelo Anthony's signature "three to the dome" celebration.
Anthony was sitting courtside for the showdown, leading some to perceive Bogdanovic's celebration as him taking a shot at the three-time Olympic gold medalist. Thus, the moment promptly went viral on social media, with many speculating about the possibility of the U.S.'s star-studded roster getting upset.
However, after trailing by 13 points entering the final period, the Americans rallied, outscoring Serbia 32-15 over the final 10 minutes to win 95-91. They were led by superstar guard Steph Curry's game-high 36-point performance. However, numerous players, including Durant, hit crucial fourth-quarter shots.
During Saturday's Fanatics Fest panel in New York City, former 13-year NBA veteran Jalen Rose asked Durant if Bogdanovic's celebration "poked the bear." The two-time NBA champion instead attributed his team's comeback to the Serbians' hot shooting fizzling out.
"Nah, we weren't even trippin' off that," Durant said. "They were just hittin' crazy 3s. They were makin' every shot. At some point, the law of averages is gonna come back around, and we're gonna get back into this game. In the fourth quarter, we end up winning by 20 points."
Behind its late-game offensive onslaught, Team USA finished with a minor shooting advantage over Serbia. It went 16-for-32 (50.0%) from beyond the arc, while the Serbians shot 15-for-39 (38.5%).
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Kevin Durant says Team USA "didn't call too many plays" in fourth quarter against Serbia
As for how Team USA dominated Serbia in the fourth quarter of their semifinal showdown, according to Kevin Durant, it relied on its instincts.
The superstar forward noted that once the Americans gained momentum, the game opened up, allowing them to play high-quality basketball. Thus, it made their coach Steve Kerr's job relatively easy.
"Once we cut it to five, we all knew, like, 'Alright, this is our game now,'" Durant said. "And most of that fourth quarter, we didn't really call too many plays, we were just getting it off the glass, pushing, just making the smart reads, and that's what basketball at the highest level is all about."
After dispatching Serbia, Durant and Co. defeated France 98-87 in the tournament's final. This year's gold medal marked Durant's fourth, the most of any U.S. men's Olympic basketball player. Meanwhile, Team USA secured its fifth straight, dating back to the 2008 Beijing Games.
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