After the semi-final loss against the USA, Serbia managed to hold on to at least one medal today – Bronze. With a score a significant difference of 93-83, Germany’s chances for a medal in this year’s Olympics have come to an official end. Not only is this a moment to celebrate Nikola Jokic but also for Bogdan Bogdanovic and Carmelo Anthony for a bittersweet reason. They finally got to bury their brief hatchet.

Right after winning bronze, the 31-year-old Serbian shooting guard headed courtside and shared a warm embrace with Anthony. Now a mere spectator to the game, the former player quickly congratulates Bogdanovic on his win. In that moment, their previous rivalry, and the alleged beef that recently cropped up due to Bogdanovic’s actions, seemed to have been put to the ground.

Bogdanovic went viral during the USA-Serbia Finals game after making a three-pointer that extended Serbia’s lead by 15 points. Immediately after the shot, the player put three fingers to his head to mimic Anthony’s iconic ‘Three to the Dome’ gesture and allegedly mock his rivals. The gesture was surprising, as Bogdanovic locked eyes with Melo himself, who was seated in the audience. The action immediately drew attention, with speculation arising over whether Bogdanovic using ‘Three to the Dome’ against its own creator was a sign of some unstated beef.

As it turns out, Bogdanovic may have been waiting for the perfect opportunity for the last eight years. After all, Melo started it first during his fourth and final Olympics. The USA-Serbia Finals game at the 2016 Rio Olympics saw Carmelo Anthony making only 7 points through 1-3 three-pointers. Anthony seemed to have been quite proud of the three-pointer that went in, as it extended USA’s lead by 55-29. To celebrate, he brought out the iconic gesture to mock his rivals. Now, after almost a decade, Anthony may not be playing, but he probably still has a taste of his medicine. Unlike the US player, however, Bogdanovic did not win his game.

The Serbian was quick to provide some clarity on this issue. In a statement, he revealed “I always compete with fire. I’ve been doing that for a long time. I know some think it’s a provocation. But to me, it’s the enjoyment & competitiveness. I have only love & respect for having Melo here as the FIBA legend.” Furthermore, he also indicated that this idea of ‘provocation’ may be exaggerated.

Bogdanovic’s use of the ‘Three to the Dome’ may have been a momentous thing and not part of any long-running feud. Carmelo Anthony probably knew this, which is why the Serbian again used the gesture in the matchup against Germany. The hug reaffirmed that things were good between the former rivals. Unfortunately, LeBron James and Devin Booker may or may not be too quick in forgiving Bogdan Bogdanovic.

LeBron James and Devin Booker react to Bogdan Bogdanovic ‘trash-talking’ Carmelo Anthony

Leave it to the Team USA squad to stand up for their former player! With the way things were going by the time the USA-Serbia matchup reached the fourth quarter, both LeBron James and Devin Booker would have been right to be frustrated. However, Bogdanovic’s gesture towards Carmelo Anthony ended up being an unnecessary fuel to the fire. As a result, both reacted to this in their manner.

While Serbia had a 17-point lead, LeBron James and co quickly began closing on it during the fourth quarter. At one point, as the 39-year-old player made a jumper with Bogdanovic defending him, he turned to his rival and made a ‘too small’ gesture. Later on, the duo would even exchange some angry words before they were off to the benches. By the end of the night, however, any anonymity was extinguished.

Devin Booker was clearer in the fact that his reaction came as a result of the taunt towards Carmelo Anthony. In the aftermath of the matchup, he took to his official Instagram account to highlight Bogdanovic’s gesture for his 6 million followers. Tagging Melo in the caption, the player wrote “Respect the Legends.”

Carmelo Anthony’s ‘Three to the Dome’ may not be seen again on the court for quite some time now. However, if he wants, the former player can still pull it out if he attends the Final game between the USA and France.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.