ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Stephen Curry scored 18 points in his first 11 minutes, one of those hot sequences that give you goosebumps in the sand when those high-arcing 3-pointers splash the net.
Then the buzzer rang and backup came for him, something coach Steve Kerr never imagined doing midway through the second quarter.
This is what Team USA should look like. Ruthless firepower and relentless deployment of talent.
Two weeks away from the Paris Olympics, the Americans are perfect, but this potentially historic organization is starting to show its teeth. The team moved to 3-0 in their warm-up excursion with an impressive 105-79 victory over the medal contenders. Serbia on Wednesday at the Etihad Arena.
“Warriors fans hate me tonight,” Kerr joked. “They hate me every time I eliminate Steph. “
“I’m pretty sure I’m going to start like I did tonight in the second quarter [at the Olympics] and I wouldn’t come out at that point,” Curry said.
Even by Team USA standards, this organization is outrageously deep. The Americans have seven MVP awards represented in their starting lineup, not adding Kevin Durant, who remains out with a calf injury, but they are scarier when Kerr goes to their bench.
During that tour, Kerr used hockey-style substitutions, substituting for five players at a time. When the public announcer announces to the crowd that the line is being converted and calls out the names “Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Tyrese Haliburton, and Devin Booker. “at the same time as the “second” unit, it gives something to think about.
“Bam and AD combined are something, just a change, but they can also protect the rim and freefall if we go through that coverage,” Kerr said. “The strength of the team is in the depth, so if we can play in 4- or five-minute bursts just betting on intense defense, hitting bodies, bouncing being physical, then it makes sense to play that way. “
This group, in which Jayson Tatum was rarely in and on Wednesday Derrick White had his first minutes, has crushed the festival in the exhibitions. And it shows how difficult it can be to beat the Americans in Paris.
After Curry had that good run in the second quarter, for example, the U. S. team was on the move. The U. S. finished the 19-5 phase with the “saves. ” Then the starters came back for the third quarter and went on an 11-0 run.
When the second unit came out for the last time midway through the fourth quarter and the United States led by 26 points, the crowd gave a standing ovation when the starters returned. Then Curry, who finished with 24 points, made two more 3-pointers just for fun.
Only then did LeBron James, who scored 11 points, begin to falter after some forced attacks. It was that kind of night.
Adebayo scored 17 points and made 3 three-pointers as the United States made 16 three-pointers in total. Edwards, who has proven to be the United States’ consistent leading scorer, scored 16 points.
“I made the first one, so I kept throwing,” said Adebayo, who was serenaded by James as an honorary “welcoming brother” as they left the room. Adebayo made 15 3-pointers last season for the Miami Heat.
Serbia is potentially the United States’ top contender for the gold medal. He has size, delight, and Nikola Jokic, who may be the most productive player in the world. And he may only get three chances to see the Americans perfect their game. plan, adding one next weekend to open Olympic play and another back for a medal.
It must be said that Serbia was playing on the second night of a consecutive attack and that two of its most productive players, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Milutinov, did not play. But this control was serious. Coach Svetislav Pesic earned a technical foul for arguing in all 39 moments of the game and Jokic played in all 44 moments of the first 3 moments.
Because of Joel Embiid, who is slowly starting to get his legs under him, as the number one defender and a variety of defensive looks, the United States passed Jokic’s first check better than expected. He didn’t look very comfortable and was an uncharacteristic 6 of 19 shooting to finish with 16 problems and 11 rebounds.
Keeping big opposing players on that kind of line is a dream for the United States and that also includes the defensive effort of Davis, who continues to look like the most productive defensive player on the team. He had six blocks on Wednesday and 8 in the two games. in the United Arab Emirates this week.
Embiid missed several layups and hit just 2 of 8 shots with 8 rebounds, which looks like he still hasn’t been the same after a playoff break to allow his knee to heal.
The U. S. team now heads to London for two more matches on Saturday against South Sudan.
“We still have a lot of room for improvement,” James said. But we have to stay and not miss opportunities. I had the impression that tonight we have improved. “