USA vs. Serbia 2016 live stream: How to watch Olympic basketball online

The U.S. men’s basketball team follows up its first real test in the 2016 Olympics with a matchup against Serbia on Friday. The Americans are coming off a surprisingly close 98-88 win over Australia two days earlier and will try to get back to the blowouts they delivered in their first two games in Rio. The game will begin at 6 p.m. ET and be televised on NBC Sports Network

The Australians proved a very tough matchup for the U.S. thanks to an offense loaded with screens and player movement. The Boomers were constantly making cuts, setting screens and forcing the American defense into chaos. With fewer than two minutes to go in regulation, the U.S. was only up by four.

Carmelo Anthony and Kyrie Irving ensured that the upset wouldn’t come to fruition, but it was still the most vulnerable we’ve seen Team USA in Rio. Australia led at halftime and regularly gave the gold medal favorites trouble. For a team led by Matthew Dellavedova, Andrew Bogut and Patty Mills, it was an impressive effort and a reminder of how a cohesive group and a good strategy can give a more talented opponent problems.

The U.S. will always have the talent advantage, though, and that’ll be the case yet again when Serbia takes the court Friday. Serbia has just one current NBA player (Nikola Jokic) and enters the game with a 1-2 record. They’re coming off a 76-75 loss to France in which Tony Parker hit the game-winning shot with 31 seconds left. After a Rio debut win over Venezuela, Serbia has lost back-to-back games.

The Americans haven’t lost an Olympic game since 2004, so there’s a pretty good chance Serbia’s losing streak hits three in Rio.

All times Eastern

Start time: 6 p.m.

TV: NBC Sports Network

Online Streaming: NBC Sports