Today is Aug. , perhaps the time in the NBA calendar furthest away from actual basketball competition. The NBA Finals ended over six weeks ago, and in two months, the Denver Nuggets will be in Abu Dhabi playing preseason games against the 2024 NBA champion Boston Celtics.

Of course, there’s been anything but down time for Denver’s top two stars. Nikola Jokic and the Serbian national team went 2-1 in group play at the 2024 Paris Olympics over the last week. Jokic was dominant in his minutes, and Serbia’s only loss came to Team USA roughly a week ago. Jamal Murray and the Canadian national team fared even better in the standings with a 3-0 performance in the Group Stage, though Murray’s individual effectiveness was a source of consternation for Nuggets fans hoping to see him shine on the big stage.

Here’s what’s happening in Paris right now:

Nikola Jokic looks like Nikola Jokic for Serbia

It should come as no surprise to anyone: Nikola Jokic is elite for international play too. Jokic averaged 18.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game. He ranks eighth in total scoring, first in rebounding, and sixth in assists after group play, filling up the box score despite playing reduced time in a 40-minute game. Jokic’s defense has also been solid, adapting to the international rules that allow for increased physicality and eliminate defensive three seconds calls.

Serbia as a whole has been solid. They were blown out in the opener vs USA by 26 points but made up the difference vs Puerto Rico the next game. South Sudan gave them trouble in the final game, but Jokic took over and drew several fouls in the paint for free throws vs an undersized front line. Bogdan Bogdanovic also went off, putting up 30 points and relieving some of the pressure on Jokic.

The last time Serbia was in international competition, Bogdanovic helped them achieve a silver medal at the 2023 World Cup. That was without Jokic (who was recovering from an extensive playoff run that finished in the NBA Finals). It shows that Serbia’s capable of some serious magic, but if Jokic and Co. want a chance to medal, they need to be better defensively on the perimeter. They can’t let what happened against Italy at EuroBasket back in 2022 happen here.

Serbia will face Australia in the quarterfinals tomorrow. Jock Landale will be Jokic’s primary defender, but expect Australia to mix in constant double teams to pressure Jokic and the Serbians into mental mistakes. Landale has been good on offense for Australia, and Jokic will have to be locked in defensively to keep up with international sharpshooter Patty Mills as well.

Jamal Murray struggling to score

While Jokic has looked comfortable playing for Serbia, Jamal Murray has looked anything but comfortable. Dating back to the exhibition games, Murray appeared to be working his way back into readiness, and he struggled to stay efficient and impactful. Murray is apparently working off of a minutes limit (whether that comes from the Canadian training staff, coaching staff, or the Denver Nuggets, I don’t know). As a result, Murray has come off the bench for Canada and is playing a bit role for the team.

In three Group Play games, Murray is averaging 19.5 minutes, 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. The assists actually rank him 13th among the entire Olympic field despite coming off the bench, but the story revolves around his scoring burst. Not only is Murray averaging under six points per game, but he’s shooting 6-of-18 from the field, including a poor 1-of-10 from 3-point range. In addition, Murray’s 19.5 minutes per game rank seventh on Canada, a far cry from the role many assumed he would play as a complementary star to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Murray’s defense already isn’t great, and Canada has Dillon Brooks, Luguentz Dort, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Andrew Nembhard to take on difficult wing assignments around SGA. The goal for Murray was to provide some offensive burst, and it just hasn’t been there in the first three games. That doesn’t mean it won’t be there in the Quarterfinals against France tomorrow, but that’s a dangerous place for Canada’s head coach Jordi Fernandez to be. Does he trust Murray to get his offense going in an elimination game? Or could we see Murray’s 19.5 minutes per game cut down even further?

It’s been a difficult few months for the Blue Arrow. Here’s to him turning things around for his country this week.

Team USA looks unbeatable

Lauded as one of the most impressive Team USA rosters in recent memory, the United States went a perfect 3-0 in Group Play and were never in serious trouble at any point. A dominating win against Jokic and Serbia in which things spiraled in the second half led things off. Then, two matter-of-fact wins against South Sudan and Puerto Rico ensured USA would be the top seed in the elimination bracket.

Head Coach Steve Kerr has mixed up his lineups in the first three games, initially starting newcomer Joel Embiid, pivoting to Anthony Davis and Jayson Tatum, and then back to Embiid. With 12 capable stars, Kerr has to be strategic in how he uses each player. Stephen Curry, LeBron James, and Devin Booker have started each game, while Davis, Anthony Edwards, Kevin Durant, and Bam Adebayo have all played significant bench roles. The Team USA second unit has outperformed the starting unit consistently, perhaps because it fits together better or because it shows USA’s advantage over the rest of the world: star level depth.

USA will face Brazil in the Quarterfinals on Tuesday. If they win, they will face the winner of Serbia vs Australia in the game before the Gold Medal game. Expect USA to be as locked in as ever deeper in this competition.

Quarterfinals take place on Tuesday

Four teams have already been eliminated following the Group Stage last week. Eight teams remain, and all four Quarterfinal games will take place on Tuesday:

  • Germany vs Greece at 3:00am MT
  • Serbia vs Australia at 6:30am MT
  • Canada vs France at 10:00am MT
  • United States vs Brazil at 1:30pm MT

The 2023 world champions vs Giannis Antetokounmpo. Nikola Jokic and the 2023 runner-ups vs a formidable Aussie squad. SGA and Murray vs Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert…and the United States will likely cruise.

It should be a chaotic elimination week with a chance for a gold medal at the end of it all.