News DeskAbu Dhabi, UAE – Stephen Curry, with the memory of his late assistant coach Dejan Milojevic in his heart, led the USA Basketball Men’s National Team to a commanding 105-79 victory over Serbia in a pre-Olympic tune-up on Wednesday. The game, held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, saw a sellout crowd of 12,517 fans.
Milojevic, who was a Serbian former professional player and assistant coach for Curry’s Golden State Warriors, passed away on January 17 at the age of 46 due to a heart attack.
Curry showcased his trademark skill and precision, scoring the first nine U.S. points and later adding nine straight in the second quarter, including a four-point play. He finished the game with 24 points, 18 of which came in the first half, setting the tone for the Americans’ impressive performance.
Other notable performances included Bam Adebayo, who contributed 17 points and eight rebounds, and Anthony Edwards, who added 16 points and three steals. LeBron James also scored 11 points, while Anthony Davis was a defensive powerhouse with six blocks, seven points, and six rebounds. Joel Embiid matched Adebayo with eight rebounds.
“We’re getting better and we’re on a good path,” said U.S. 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 defense.”
The U.S. team, now 3-0 in the USA Basketball Showcase, will next play in London’s O2 Arena against South Sudan on Saturday and Germany on Monday to conclude their pre-Olympic play.
The game saw Serbia, ranked fourth globally, struggle despite efforts from three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, who scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Aleksa Avramovic added 14 points. Serbia was coming off an 84-73 loss to Australia and was missing key players Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Jovic due to injuries.
The U.S. overcame early turnover issues to take control by halftime, thanks to Curry’s scoring surge and a 16-2 run. The Americans maintained their dominance throughout the second half, avoiding any potential comeback from Serbia.
“Our focus is on defense, defense, defense,” emphasized Kerr. “As long as we are putting pressure on the ball and making things difficult for our opponent, it’s going to be a different guy every night. It was Steph tonight, next game it will be somebody else. The only thing that matters is winning and our guys know that.”
With their eyes set on the Paris Olympics, the U.S. team continues to refine their game and build chemistry, showing they are a formidable contender for the gold medal.
