Health permitting, there will be a Bam Adebayo-Nikola Jovic Miami Heat rematch at the Paris Olympics in Thursday’s semifinal round. Adebayo and Team USA took care of their business with relative ease in Tuesday’s final quarterfinal, shoving past Brazil 122-87. Earlier, Jovic advanced to the semifinals in absentia Tuesday, with the Heat forward sidelined by an illness for Serbia’s overtime 95-90 quarterfinal victory over Australia.
Jovic was not on the bench Tuesday, after previously playing as a featured piece in Serbia’s rotation. Provided Jovic makes it back for Serbia’s Thursday’s 3 p.m.
Eastern semifinal against Team USA, it will be a rematch of the teams’ Olympic opener, when Adebayo and Team USA defeated Serbia and Jovic 110-84 . Unlike earlier games in the competition, when Adebayo had to help compensate for uneven play by Joel Emibiid, Embiid this time thrived against Brazil, closing with 14 points and seven rebounds in just 12:20, given the second half off. Adebayo, who started the second half in place of Embiid, finished with nine points, including a late 3-pointer from above the top of the key, and seven rebounds in 19:21.
Initially, Adebayo again played off the bench, with Team USA starting Embiid, LeBron James, Jrue Holiday, Devin Booker and Stephen Curry. Unlike during recent games when Adebayo and the second unit had to help overcome uneven opens by the starters, the Heat center this time entered with Team USA up 26-14. Team USA coach Steve Kerr, .