How Bad Would A Team USA Loss Have Been And Would LeBron Have Played The Bronze Medal Game?

So Titus and I hopped on the show immediately following Team USA's 95-91 victory over Serbia yesterday, in which the boys had to rally from 17 down to pull it out. People are saying when LeBron, Steph, and KD were out there together fighting not just for the Gold but for our country's pride, it was the greatest 10 minutes in basketball history. Put up or shut up time, and our biggest stars more than delivered. The fact of the matter is that if Team USA would've lost in the semifinals yesterday to a Serbia team with (although Jokic) only 2 NBA players, all hell would've broken loose. Twitter would've been a madhouse, but I'm legitimately questioning not just what the next 4 years and beyond would look like, but even this Saturday in the Bronze Medal game. No one knows LeBron like me, and I'd say this: Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton would be starting against Germany. LeBron would have either some sort of ailment or be too cool for school to play in a 3rd/4th place game. They went there for Gold and if they didn't get it, he has no interest in a mockery that is Bronze.

But the good news is that's a hypothetical we'll never know the answer to. Steph (36 and 8), LeBron (triple double), and KD completely shut up the haters (for a minute) and stormed back in a game that Mark Titus had declared over. And even after that, there were still two more wide open opportunities for Serbia to nail the coffin and they couldn't. If Jokic hits a 3 to go up 14 instead of missing, fouling during a made 3, and then the USA hitting another....it's 14 instead of 5. And when it was 2 with 2 minutes to go, Serbia missed the most wide open shot in basketball history. 5 with under 2 to play is a serious problem.

Now Titus says that after watching that game, it wasn't a fluke....and it certainly wasn't a choke job. He believes the rest of the world is finally here and that they're not going anywhere. I agree with him that Team USA didn't "play bad" yesterday, but I don't care how well Serbia played, if this USA team lost yesterday it'd be a national disaster. And it gives me cause for concern heading into 2028. Our biggest saviors will be too old to play then. Do we win yesterday without Steph and LeBron? No we do not. And this France team we're about to play in the Gold Medal game will only get better the next 4 years. I'll take the USA LARGE on Saturday, but I think I'd take the Field in 2028?

Other things discussed on the show:

- Gold Medal Game Preview 

- Should KD start or is it better to have him come off the bench?

- Could Embiid trying to outshine the France crowd be a problem for Team USA?

- Is France going to bench Rudy Gobert?

- Kyle Guy is returning to Virginia as a Player Mentor / Special Assistant to the Head Coach

- Titus has inside info that Coleman Hawkins will be playing the 3 this year at Kansas State

A new Mark Titus Show episode is LIVE now!