RIO DE JANEIRO -- Written in Portuguese on one wall above center court at Carioca Arena is the phrase Um mundo novo. Translation: A new world.It didnt seem that way in mens Olympic basketball -- until now.Threatened by Australia in its previous game, the U.S. mens team survived a heart-racing final seconds to defeat disciplined and experienced Serbia 94-91 on Friday night and extend its winning streak in international tournaments to 49 games.No. 50 is no given, and suddenly, a gold medal that seemed a formality just a few days ago is anything but certain.The Americans, boasting a roster stuffed with NBA All-Stars, elite outside shooters but only two former Olympians, look very vulnerable and somewhat lost on the worlds hardwood stage.We do have more talent, said U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski, who has been warning about overconfidence since his teams arrival in Brazil. We have to get our talent playing even much better as a team.Despite a ferocious start, the Americans couldnt put away the underdog Serbs, who ran their cut-and-cut-again offense with precision and had a chance to tie it in the final seconds. But guard Bogdan Bogdanovics 3-pointer from the left wing was a little long and Kevin Durant secured the rebound and the relieved Americans walked off the floor with their streak intact but their standing shaken.Kyrie Irving scored 15 points and Durant and Carmelo Anthony added 12 apiece for the U.S. team, which arrived in South American lauded as the latest version of an American super squad. However, after their 10-point win over the Aussies earlier this week and now a nail-biter against the Serbs, the rest of the field might be starting to believe the U.S. can be taken.We got in our own heads, Durant said. We had a great start, great start. We were up almost 20 points. We should have held the lead and we just got sidetracked by stupid stuff, from the calls to the physicality, the extra plays. We got to stay with it. Thats the way its going to be out here.Nikola Jokic, who plays for the Denver Nuggets, scored 25 and Milos Teodosic and Miroslav Raduljica 18 each for the Serbs, who fell to 1/3 but left the building feeling confident after making the Americans sweat.Paul George said Serbias systematic offense was unlike anything he and his teammates have faced.Once again, we relied on natural talent, George said. This is why these guys are special in our league. These international guys really know how to move and really know how to cut. Its more about how theyre running their offense. Its wearing us down.Its like they dont get tired.It was the first Olympic game between the nations, and a rematch of the 2014 Basketball World Cup championship won by the U.S. 129-92. However, this never resembled that track meet as the Serbs slowed the tempo and forced the Americans into turnovers and rushed possessions. The worlds best team certainly didnt look or play like it for long stretches.The U.S., which will wrap up preliminary-round play against France on Sunday, led 94-87 with 2:11 left on a basket by Anthony. But the Serbs got a basket by Jokic and two free throws Teodosic to get within three.Durant, who only attempted four shots, misfired with eight seconds left giving Serbia one last chance. After a timeout, the ball wound up with Bogdanovic, who had a great look from 22 feet but was just off the mark.We are that kind of a team that we never give up and we showed this today, said Teodosic, one of Europes craftiest guards for the past decade. This is third game in a row that we have a very bad beginning, and especially (against) the teams like the United States, its very tough to get back in the game when you are losing by 10 or 15 in the beginning.The 10-point win over Australia -- just the fifth time the U.S. has won by 10 or fewer since 2006 -- raised the possibility that this American team might not be as golden as previous ones.Krzyzewski, though, insists there is more global balance in hoops.We dont give enough credit to the talent level on the other team, he said. Australia is talented. Serbia is talented. They are one of the top teams in the world, but theyve played together for a long time. We played them two years ago and had a great game and everything went well for us. All of those guys are back and Im sure they wanted to make up for that, too.Our guys are playing as a team, and I think we just havent had that experience of playing that long together and hopefully these games will help us and the game against France will also.The Americans had better learn or theyll be going home with a less shiny medal. Adidas Rickard Rakell Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Adidas Isac Lundestrom Jersey . -- Matt Kuchar and Harris English ran away with the Franklin Templeton Shootout, shooting a 14-under 58 on Sunday in the final-round scramble to break the tournament course record. http://www.cheapducksjerseys.com/?tag=adidas-patrick-eaves-jersey . Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds in his seventh straight game with more than 20 points, but that was only enough to keep the Pelicans competitive into the final minutes. Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Golden State, which rebounded from a loss a night earlier in Oklahoma City and snapped a two-game skid. Adidas Joseph Blandisi Jersey . By having more great seasons. Manning was the only unanimous choice for the 2013 Associated Press NFL All-Pro team Friday. Adidas Nick Ritchie Jersey . Cuban testified Thursday that he was upset when the companys CEO told him news that would reduce the value of his shares, for which hed paid $7.5 million. But he said he did nothing improper when he sold those shares over the next two days. RIO DE JANEIRO -- You love them now, right America?Mike Krzyzewski and Geno Auriemma may have their haters in college basketball, but this is the Olympics. This is when patriotic pride trumps school spirit, when there is no Tar Heel blue, only red, white and blue.So all those fans chanting USA! USA! should be shouting Go Coach K!Well, I hope theyre saying that. Im not sure all of them are completely saying that, Krzyzewski said with a laugh. But I would hope that most people are.College basketball, built on regional rivalries and March Madness, makes it impossible for anyone to be universally beloved, especially when theyve won as much as Krzyzewski has with the Duke men or Auriemma with the Connecticut women.So Auriemma also laughs when pondering fans on both sides of Tobacco Road in North Carolina, or way up on Rocky Top in Tennessee, suddenly being on board with the U.S. coaches.Well, some people are pro-USA but not necessarily pro-Coach K and Geno, Auriemma said. So Im sure theres a faction out there of anti-Duke, anti-UConn people who, `We love the USA so much that we want them to win in spite of those two guys.Theres little need to consider that in most of the Olympics, individual sports with emotional tales of underdogs overcoming the odds to win gold for their country. Thats what makes womens gymnastics so popular.But these guys arent underdogs, theyre definitely not Americas Sweethearts, and they dont come around every four years. For some fans, theyre the Evil Empire, in their faces every November to March.You have to put that aside right now, U.S. forward and former Tar Heels star Harrison Barnes said, although UNC did have a better season this year.Krzyzewski has won five NCAA championships and more than 1,000 games, most in Division I history. The Blue Devils are college basketballs version of the New York Yankees or Dallas Cowboys, the team that fans either love or love to hate -- and the haters believe the TV announcers and referees love them too much.Auriemma has won a record 11 national championships, a man in a womens world who doesnt apologize for the way he wins or talks. His comments sometimes overshadow his games, even back when the Huskies played Pat Summitts Tennessee teams.Now wearing their countrys colors and undefeated heading into the quarterfinals -- Auriemmas team is dominating at a record-setting pace and plays Japan on Tuesday; Krzyzewskis squad has beenn challenged and faces Argentina on Wednesday -- the guy from Chicago (Krzyzewski) and Philadelphia (Auriemma) should now be popular around the nation.ddddddddddddI dont think they really think about those things, U.S. mens assistant Jim Boeheim said. I know Geno doesnt. He thrives on the fact that they root against him.Boeheim, friends with both, said the difference is that Krzyzewski is more careful than Auriemma in choosing his words, not wanting to offend anyone.Mike cares, Boeheim said. Geno doesnt care.Auriemmas response?First of all, Im surprised that Boeheim is even aware of anything anybody says, because he lives in his own world up there in Syracuse, Auriemma quipped. So thats the biggest shocker so far of the Olympics, the fact that he actually pays attention to anything.Mikes been at it a lot longer at a higher level than I have. And hes a West Point guy, and very smart, really bright, and knows how to think before he speaks. So why is that surprising, that I stick my foot in my mouth sometimes?He said hes tried to choose his words more carefully since beginning what he calls the unbelievable experience of becoming U.S. womens coach in 2009, realizing that on some issues hes speaking not just for UConn, but for the country. Auriemma said the writers who cover the Huskies like him less now because he wont say some of the things he used to.Krzyzewski is nearing the end of his 10-year run as U.S. coach, but the former Army captain has been involved with U.S. teams since 1979. He said people who dont necessarily root for him have shown they appreciate him.They say, `Coach, thanks for coaching USA, thanks for taking the time to coach USA, he said. And I tell them, `Look, its an honor. Thanks for watching and cheering for us.And cheering for him.Whether you like Duke or not, you cant underestimate what Coach Ks done. Whether you like UConn or not, you have to respect what Coach Auriemmas done, womens and former UConn star Diana Taurasi said. And I think the more that theyre seen in this setting, you know what, its not (they win) because theyre at Duke, its not because theyre at UConn. Its because theyre great coaches.---AP Basketball Writer Doug Feinberg contributed to this report.---Follow Brian Mahoney on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Briancmahoney ' ' '