USA smoke Serbia in exhibition behind Steph Curry and dominant defense
The U.S. team defeated Serbia 105-79 in an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, putting the team at 3-0 in preparation for the Olympics.
Bam Adebayo scored at will — inside and out — and helped Anthony Davis make life difficult for Serbian star and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić. Davis had six blocks, including a pin off the glass at the eight-minute mark of the fourth quarter that drew a standing ovation.
Adebayo had 17 points and seven rebounds and Steph Curry had 18 points in the first half and finished with six 3-pointers and 24 points.
Team USA made 16 of 36 three-pointers.
Jokić shot 3 of 10 times and finished with eight points.
Curry collected a loose ball and with a lightning-quick release from the left wing, sank his fifth three-pointer of the game to blow the U.S. lead to 90-63 before LeBron James emphatically deflected a right-handed slam off an Adebayo lob. The next possession was a culmination of dribbling and passing that ended with another Curry three-pointer, followed by James going downhill and pushing through for a left-handed finish and a 31-point lead.
Jokić touched the ball on almost every possession and implored his teammates to dig in defensively, but to no avail. Jokić sat out the fourth quarter with Serbia and the USA on the bench, meeting again in the first Pool C match for both countries at the Olympics on July 28.
Shooting and depth stood out as the U.S. rallied around Jokic on the defensive end and spread the ball around with extra passes. Adebayo sank a 3-pointer from the top of the key to extend the lead to 81-53 late in the third quarter.
Team USA closed the first half with a decisive kick, led by an energetic defense, and led 59-45 thanks to a 30-29 win by the bench over the starters.
Curry had 18 points in the first 20 minutes. He rattled off a solo run of nine straight points midway through the second quarter and Anthony Edwards hit a three to give the U.S. a 47-40 lead with 4:12 left in the half.
Adebayo extended the run to 13-2 with consecutive baskets, framed by a pair of Davis deflections of Jokic shots in the lane. After Davis converted another Jokic shot to start the break, Edwards flushed one to extend the lead to 56-42.
Team USA plays two more games before the Olympics begin pool play this month. South Sudan plays next Saturday in London.