Serbia vs Australia: Predicted starting 5s and depth chart | July 16, 2024
Australia faces off against Serbia on Tuesday at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The exhibition game is a chance for both teams to fine-tune their lineups and make the necessary tweaks and adjustments before the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Both teams have star-studded rosters, making it an exciting matchup.
Led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Serbia will look to take home a medal in Paris after missing out in the 2020 Olympics. It plays warm-up games against the Australians and Team USA in the coming days.
While this is Serbia's first match in Abu Dhabi, Australia played USA in a thrilling encounter on Monday. The Boomers battled valiantly to make a late comeback but fell just short against a talented USA team. The 98-92 loss, though, brought plenty of positives for an Australian team that could surprise a few teams in the tournament.
The Olympics begin on July 26, with the basketball leg of the tournament starting on July 27.
Serbia vs Australia: Predicted starting 5s and depth chart
Serbia's starting 5s and depth chart
Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic has plenty of options at his disposal, with a plethora of talent from the NBA and European leagues to choose from
Against France on July 12, Pesic opted for a starting five of just two NBA players. Nikola Jokic, Bogdan Bogdanović, Aleksa Avramović, Ognjen Dobrić and Nikola Milutinov got the nod.
Expect to see a similar starting 5 against Australia on Tuesday, with Charlotte Hornets point guard Vasilije Micic a possible inclusion in the starting lineup.
Serbia's roster for the Olympics:
Australian starting 5s and depth
Boomers veteran coach Brian Goorjian will be ecstatic with what he saw from his team against the USA.
He could choose to field the same starting five. That would mean another opportunity for Josh Giddey, Patty Mills, Jock Landale, Nick Kay and Dyson Daniels to solidify their places in the lineup.
Jack McVeigh and Dante Exum had strong showings against the USA and could see significant minutes.
Matthew Dellavedova, the most experienced player on the team (he's set to feature in his fourth Olympics), should see some more playing time after playing just four minutes in the first game.
Australian roster for the Olympics:
Serbia vs Australia: Key Players
The headline name on display will be Nikola Jokic, who is set to feature in his second Olympics. At six-foot-11, the Serb is an imposing figure who can contibute on both the defensive and offensive ends.
Jokic has developed into one of the most dominant players in the last few seasons in the NBA. He's a three-time MVP and has been named to the All-Star team six times. The center won his first NBA championship in 2023, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 4-1 series win over the Miami Heat.
For the Boomers, keep an eye on Josh Giddy, who was in fine form against the United States. The Chicago Bulls guard finished with 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, shooting 7-17 from the floor.
Giddy is still only 21, but fans will look to the youngster to make a big impact at the Olympics.