Team USA head coach Steve Kerr is wary that his team’s recent success over Serbia might give them a false sense of security heading to their semifinal match on Thursday. For this reason, the many-time champion coach and player is hammering home the message that they cannot let their guard down.
The two teams have already faced each other twice this summer—in a tuneup game in the United Arab Emirates last July 17 and in the group stage last July 28. Both games resulted in dominant 26-point victories for the U.S. However, Kerr knows better than anyone that past results do not guarantee future success and has stressed the importance of staying focused and motivated despite their strong performances so far in the tournament.
Sheer dominance
Team USA is coming off an incredible 122-87 win over Brazil in the quarterfinals. However, that no longer matters as the Americans turn their focus on a Serbian squad with a lot of momentum on their side. Down by 24 to Australia, Nikola Jokic and his team rallied and emerged victorious in overtime, 95-90, to book the semis showdown with the U.S.
With this in mind and the natural tendency to overlook an opponent after such a dominant performance, Kerr has urged his team to stay disciplined and maintain their intensity on both ends of the floor.
“We can't get lulled to sleep because we beat them twice. We have to be prepared for their best effort. We've got to think about what are they going to do differently. Jokic, I guess he could play 40 minutes. What else do they have up their sleeve?” Kerr surmised .
Jokic will undoubtedly be Team USA’s biggest headache. The three-time NBA MVP is Serbia’s undisputed heart and soul, with averages of 19.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. Apart from the numbers, his presence and the defensive attention he commands open up the floor for his teammates to make plays.
“The Joker’s” substantial influence was clear as day in Serbia’s group stage loss to the U.S. In that match, the Americans blitzed the Serbians when Joker rested on the bench, outsourcing them 29-3 to blow the game wide open.
Related: Oscar Schmidt shares how beating Team USA after a miraculous 35-point second-half performance was ‘the best part of his life’
Ready for the challenge
Team USA’s cadre of big men will surely be tested in the semis. In fact, the versatile 7-footer from Sombor may end up playing the entire game to give Serbia the best chance of success against a stacked American team.
Starting center Joel Embiid, who will most likely take on the starting role in the semis, expressed his readiness to face whatever Serbia has up its sleeve.
“I guess we'll be ready for that. If that's what they think they have to do to try to beat us, then they won't hesitate to do that,” the 2023 NBA MVP shared.
Embiid, though, will not be left on an island against Jokic. He has some pretty good players to take up the slack when he goes to the bench for a breather. This includes All-Stars Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis, both of whom have done a stellar job anchoring the second unit along with Kevin Durant.
Related: "We're gonna keep doing what we're doing" - Steve Kerr responds to criticism from Draymond Green and Co. about coaching Team USA
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