The Stephen Curry show lights up Abu Dhabi

The top-ranked US came away with a 105-79 victory over fourth-ranked Serbia

By Team KT

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Stephen Curry of the US makes a move as Serbia's Aleksej Pokusevski tries to defend. — Reuters

Published: Thu 18 Jul 2024, 7:36 PM

If you know anything about Stephen Curry, you knew he would be in show mode as the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team faced Serbia on Wednesday in a tune-up for the Paris Olympics 2024.

Curry had Dejan Milojevic in his heart. Milojevic, a Serbian former professional player, was the assistant coach on Curry’s Golden State Warriors who died Jan. 17 after a heart attack at a team dinner the night before. Milojevic was 46.

So Curry was ready to do what Curry does in the USA Basketball Showcase matchup in Abu Dhabi.

The chef cooked for the first nine US points of the game, then did the same by scoring nine straight for the Americans — capped by a four-point play — in the second quarter. Curry finished with 24 points, including those 18 in the first half, as the top-ranked US came away with a 105-79 victory over fourth-ranked Serbia that left the Etihad Arena sellout crowd of 12,517 buzzing about the Americans’ overall performance.

The US will take its act to London’s O2 for games Saturday against first-time Olympic qualifier South Sudan and against 2023 World Cup champion Germany on Sunday to conclude pre-Olympic play.

Bam Adebayo flashed his presence with 17 points and eight rebounds, while Anthony Edwards had 16 points and three steals and LeBron James scored 11 points for the Americans, who are 3-0 in the USA Basketball Showcase this year.

Anthony Davis was a defensive force, blocking six shots to go along with seven points and six rebounds. Joel Embiid matched Adebayo with a team-best eight boards.

“We’re getting better and we’re on a good path,” said US coach Steve Kerr. “I like the way the guys came out and really competed defensively and tried to wear Serbia down with the ball pressure and the defence.”

Adebayo had 15 3-pointers this season after eight in his previous six.

“I made the first one, so I kept shooting,” said Adebayo, who hit 35.7% from deep with the Miami Heat in 2023-24.

Playing with Davis, who now has 12 blocks, the duo has become a nice combo on both ends of the floor for the US.

“Bam and AD together are really something,” Kerr said. “The switching, they can also protect the rim and be in a drop if we go to that coverage. Combined with the ball pressure Book was putting on their point guard, I thought it really set a tone for us.”

The starting five of Curry, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum, James and Embiid, nearly the same as the USA Basketball Showcase opener vs. Canada, with Tatum in for Devin Booker. That meant the second unit consisted of Tyrese Haliburton, Edwards, Booker, Davis and Adebayo. Curry, James and Embiid have started all three exhibition games.

Injury replacement Derrick White, with just one practice under his belt after joining the team in Abu Dhabi, made his first appearance when he checked in for brief stints in the second and fourth quarters. He had one point and four rebounds in just over 9 minutes of action.

“I think some of the turnovers that we’ve had, most of them have been from miscommunication,” Embiid said of starting with Curry and James. “But it’s good. I’m having the time of my life. I don’t have to do anything. I’m happy just chilling. Just hanging out doing the little things and just playing together and winning.”

Kevin Durant, the all-time leading scorer in US Olympic history, has missed all three USA Basketball Showcase games with a strained calf, but he did do some on-court work pregame.