Curry says playing for USA an 'adjustment' after warm-up win in Abu Dhabi

Stephen Curry admits playing on a stacked USA Olympic team where he is not expected to carry the offence like he does with the Golden State Warriors in the NBA is requiring a great deal of adjustment.

The star point guard scored just three points in 22 minutes during USA's 98-92 win over Australia in a warm-up game in Abu Dhabi on Monday that saw the Americans almost blow a 20-point lead in the last 15 minutes.

The American team played Australia at Etihad Arena as part of the three-match USA Basketball Showcase in Abu Dhabi with Serbia also participating in the final warm-up event ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics (July 26-August 11).

Lakers center Anthony Davis came off the bench to lead the scoring for USA with 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards was right behind him with 14 points, four rebounds and two assists.

"It's an adjustment, not just for me, for everybody," said Curry, who will be making his Olympics debut in Paris this summer.

"Even how we're rotating the line-ups right now, just because we're trying to get a feel for different combinations.

"You're going five minutes at a time, then you sit. Hockey subs, that's different, how we're playing with the talent around, that's a different adjustment.

"It's just a mindfulness of knowing where your shots might come and being ready for those."

Head coach Steve Kerr had said before the game he planned on testing out different starting lineups during these exhibition games and he did indeed tweak the first unit he used in last week's win over Canada, keeping LeBron James, Curry, and Joel Embiid but starting Edwards and Jayson Tatum instead of Jrue Holiday and Devin Booker.

Kevin Durant remains sidelined with a calf strain, while Davis, Booker, Holiday, Bam Adebayo, and Tyrese Haliburton served as the second unit that alternated with the starters throughout the game.

USA led by 20 points midway through the third quarter but the Aussies narrowed their deficit to just six points with five minutes left in the fourth.

Back-to-back threes from Indiana Pacers' Haliburton briefly got the Americans back on track but the Boomers upped the pressure once again and got dangerously close to erasing the gap.

Australia's Jock Landale, Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels all finished in the double digits and combined for 51 points.

Kerr said Monday's game was a welcome warning against complacency and a reminder the team can't take their foot off the gas pedal after building big leads.

He is confident there is enough time for the group -- which is the most star-studded and most decorated to represent USA since the famous Dream Team of 1992 -- to iron out the kinks before their Olympics opener against Serbia in Lille on July 28.

Kerr paid special tribute to Davis, who also found himself in an unfamiliar role on Monday, coming off the bench.

"He was amazing tonight, he's been fantastic those first 10 days or whatever we've been together," said Kerr.

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