Despite their friendly banter, Kendrick Perkins admitted Richard Jefferson can be annoyingly loathsome. Perkins almost seemed rattled after his former teammate tried to downplay Carmelo Anthony‘s role in Team USA’s semifinal win over Serbia. Melo wasn’t playing, of course, but had a major role in fueling the players’ spirits. Serbian guard Bogdan Bogdanovic was seen trash-talking Anthony, which angered Team USA. However, Jefferson apparently ignored the incident to discuss a more tactical part of the game, which soon led to a hilarious verbal attack from his friend Perkins.

RJ brushed the incident aside, but Perkins picked it up again, reiterating how Team USA players, especially LeBron James, were hyped up by the incident. Perkins said, “That s**t happened on the sideline with Carmelo. Motherf*****s  was like, ‘Oh s**t. Okay we’re in a dog fight. Let’s bump some g*ns like, Nah Melo, we got your back.”

Jefferson didn’t seem happy about Perkins calling this incident instrumental in the USA’s win. And Perkins didn’t like his reaction, hilariously saying, “RJ, come look bro, I hate when you have a sassy attitude dog. I hate it.” But it seems like that’s exactly what happened. 

It was obvious at first, but then Bogdanovic pulled off Melo’s iconic ‘three to the dome’ celebration as Serbia continued hitting shots. And if we take a look at the history, it isn’t so surprising. Back in the 2016 Rio Olympics, Melo handed a disappointing defeat to Serbia and the 23-year-old Bogdanovic in the Final.

In another Serbia vs. USA game, the New York Knicks legend hit 12 points to lead his team while Bogdanovic had seven. Bogy even talked trash to everyone in his way, including LeBron James. The King was seen getting angry at the refs after the Atlanta Hawks star notched up a 3-pointer. In the end, Perkins doesn’t seem to be wrong about it. It had a reason, and that triggered the 4x NBA champ and his squad. 

Carmelo Anthony’s encouraging words to LeBron James 

In the end, both James and Bogdanovic set it aside with a hug. The victory of Team USA over Serbia was a lot more dramatic than expected. Team USA faced fierce competition that almost handed them defeat. However, James & Co. were able to overcome a 17-point deficit to win. Before the game, Carmelo Anthony had some tough words for the Los Angeles Lakers champ. Later, King James shared the message to thank his former teammate, Melo, whom he regards as a brother.

He shared the message with his followers on his IG Stories. “You said ‘Gotta get it done the hard way.’ I heard you loud and clear, my brother,” James wrote. One of the most crucial roles in the comeback was played by Stephen Curry who dropped 36 points, while Joel Embiid added 19 points. James recorded a triple-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists.

Next up, in the final, Team USA will face hosts France, which seems to have strong motivation. The Americans might need some more encouraging words this time. 

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.