The Olympic semifinals are set and so is your newest sub on YouTube! Let’s fill you in:

The Check Up is Enjoy Basketball’s newest content series, bringing you storylines from the game we love every week. From dynasty team secrets to the most unforgettable and iconic moments in hoops—we’ve got you.

To kick things off, we dove into a highly debated topic in basketball today… is this USA Men’s Team one of the greatest ever assembled? 🤔

Today’s Lineup

Olympic Updates

Jokic leads massive Serbian comeback over Australia 95-90 in OT

In the NBA, Nikola Jokic vs Patty Mills would be about as unfair a matchup as you could get. In the Olympics, it’s just another showdown between two superstars.

Australia came out firing on all cylinders against Serbia thanks to a scorching start from Mills, who dropped 20 of his 26 points in the first half and helped the Aussies build a massive 24-point lead. But Serbia had other plans

Nikola Jokic (21 PTS, 14 REB, 8 AST) led the charge as usual, making his mark on practically every aspect of the game whether it was crashing the glass, using his bag of tricks in the post, or dishing and diming for teammates to help the Serbs slowly claw their way back into the lead in the final minute.

But, with the game on the line and Mills having a quiet second half, he came alive at the perfect moment, burying one over Jokic in the closing seconds to send the game to OT. Unfortunately for Australia, it wasn't enough. In the extra frame, Serbia's offense proved too much to handle, pulling away to secure the W.

France's non-NBA stars shine in 82-73 victory over Canada

In a game that showcased the depth of France’s basketball talent, the French national team overcame Canada with standout performances from their non-NBA players.

As Wemby struggled to make an impact in the scoring department, Guerschon Yabusele (22 PTS) and Isaïa Cordinier (20 PTS) stepped up big time, providing the perimeter firepower that France had been missing all tournament. But how about Evan Fournier?!? He buried multiple huge threes down the stretch, including an audacious bomb in the final minute as the shot clock expired, effectively sealing the game for France.

German defense stifles Greek hopes en route to 76-63 W

In a slow-paced grind-fest, Germany pulled off a critical comeback to beat Greece and secure their ticket to the semifinal, despite another incredible performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo (22 PTS). As Franz Wagner (18 PTS, 3 STL) put it, "he was more than half of the scouting report."

The Greek Freak was a beast right from the start, helping Greece build a 10-point lead by the end of the first quarter with his unstoppable drives and monster defense. It looked like it was going to be a night of celebration in Athens, but the German squad had other plans.

Germany's defense got tougher as the game went on, turning up the heat and making life difficult for Giannis and his teammates. Franz and Dennis Schröder (13 PTS, 8 AST) led the charge, forcing turnovers and contesting shots while getting buckets on the other end, slowly chipping away at Greece's lead before running away with things in the 4th.

Team USA obliterates Brazil 122-87 in all-around effort

Team USA put on a show against Brazil, flexing their star power in a game that turned into a highlight reel for the Americans. Brazil hung tough well into the second quarter thanks to a strong effort from Bruno Caboclo (30 PTS), but they were no match for the sheer talent of Team USA.

Joel Embiid (14 PTS, 7 REB) was the man of the hour, shutting down his critics by lighting it up from long range. He scored at more than a point-per-minute pace in the first half, proving the haters wrong and setting the tone for the game. Devin Booker (18 PTS) added five treys of his own while LeBron James (9 AST) kept the offense humming with elite playmaking.

Enjoy Basketball 2024 All-Breakout Team

PG: Dyson Daniels

While Dejounte Murray wasn’t exactly the elite defender the Hawks might have hoped for, the young guard they traded him for this summer just might be….

At the age of 20, nearly every metric already points to Dyson Daniels as one of the best perimeter defenders in basketball. A lanky guard who’s not afraid to fight over screens and hound opponents, the Australian was one of the league leaders in deflections last season despite playing barely 22 minutes a night.

And while his lack of floor spacing might not have worked on a team like the Pelicans, the Hawks have plenty of shooters to help Daniels thrive in a drive-and-kick environment. Don’t be surprised if he’s starting next to Trae and getting All-Defensive hype in a few months. 👀

SG: Andrew Nembhard

Moving on from a bit of an under-the-radar pick, let’s take a look at a player who already made a LOUD announcement to the NBA world back in May.

Andrew Nembhard had been showing some intriguing promise in Indy last season as a reliable combo guard with shooting upside before exploding onto the scene in the Conference Finals, stepping up when Tyrese Haliburton went down to deliver a handful of monster performances against the Knicks. But does he have what it takes to continue the hot streak?

We think yes! Nembhard shot over 37% from deep after the All-Star break and has the versatility to play major minutes at the 2 next to Hali while also running the bench unit at point. Could he grow into the third option the Pacers need to truly contend?

SF: Christian Braun

With Kentavious Caldwell-Pope off to join the Magic, the Nuggets need a new starter to play some defense, hit some threes, and be another smart circuit in Nikola Jokic’s offensive supercomputer. And what better place to look for one than within?

Dogged perimeter defender, explosive rim runner, and all-around hustle guy Christian Braun has already proven himself a valuable member of a championship-winning rotation in Denver. Now, we believe he has what it takes to leap into the starting five on a contender.

The only major question mark? His shot. Braun has been a streaky shooter throughout his career, but with solid form and consistent improvement since his college days, we’re willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

PF: Brandon Miller

“Wow, what a hot take putting the rookie who averaged 17 a game on this list,” you might be thinking. Well, we think Brandon Miller is going to have a little more than just a breakout season….

Last year's second overall pick has already proven himself as a MAJOR problem on the offensive end, and that was mostly without one of the best table-setters in basketball. LaMelo Ball is just the type of dimer who can take a shooter’s career to the next level, especially a guy like Miller who was already among the top 25 league-wide in catch-and-shoot threes as a rookie.

With Ball back in the fold alongside talented young big Mark Williams, don’t be surprised if the Hornets look a lot better next season led by first-time All-Star… Brandon Miller. We’re calling it.

C: Noah Clowney

From a rookie who started all season to one who started out in the G League, Noah Clowney might just be the key to the young Nets’ rebuilding project.

A 6’10” rim protector who can also get outside and stretch the floor, Clowney made a great impression in Brooklyn late last season, averaging over 12 points and nearly two blocks during April while shooting 47% from deep. And things didn’t slow down in Summer League for the former Bama big, who continued to show his growth as a shooter and impact defender.

With Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe both lacking a perimeter game, Clowney should be in line to get tons of minutes thanks to his versatility and show why he’s one of the NBAs best young bigs in the process, even if nobody has caught on yet.

Three in the Key

Signing Off

Thanks for spending part of your day with us! We’re counting down the days until we get to go through a whole other NBA season with y’all. 💙🏀

Talk soon,

-Spencer Poole