Team USA has now completed the gauntlet of their exhibition games before the 2024 Paris Olympics. LeBron James has been on an absolute heater during crunch time while Joel Embiid and Stephen Curry have been providing ample support. While this squad has finished with an unblemished five-win record so far, their close calls against Germany and South Sudan have been a point of concern.
Team USA has two big missions entering the Paris Olympics. The first is to prove that the Stars and Stripes are still the king of international basketball despite the game growing rapidly overseas. Another is to be a great farewell tour for guys like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry who could be donning the nation's colors for one last time in their professional careers. Both of these are very attainable but their encounter with FIBA World Champions Germany proved that this squad still has so much to polish.
Curry outlined that he has learned the very same aforementioned lesson. The Golden State Warriors guard and Steve Kerr mentee noted that there are a few adjustments that they could make after this 92-88 win over Germany which will strengthen their gold medal march in the Paris Olympics, via the NBA.
“I have learned that we're beatable if we don't execute the details of the plan. What teams do they have to do to beat us which are in the actual possessions, taking care of the ball, fouling too much, and it has nothing to do with our offensive game,” he declared.
LeBron James transforms into Captain America for Team USA
Curry notched 13 points despite having a very bloody leg by the end of the game. While he missed some crucial shots that would have shut the doors against Germany earlier in the fourth quarter, somebody else stepped. The Warriors legend had a lot of love for a certain 39-year-old teammate and vowed that they would bounce back stronger offensively.
“I would say Bron has been taking over in the fourth quarter, giving us a huge bump. But, the offensive game. We have not played our best offensive game yet. When we lock in defensively, nobody can really beat us. That's how we've been coming back these last two games. Just execute the details of our plan, solid hard-nosed basketball. We're fine. See you in Paris,” the Team USA guard concluded.
The Stars and Stripes will have to face off with Serbia, Puerto Rico, and South Sudan. Who are the key players in each of these squads? Well, their opening game in Lille will have Nikola Jokic challenging them for dominance. South Sudan who were just two points shy of beating them will come next. Jose Alvarado and his inspired squad will also be standing in Team USA's way in the Olympics group stages. They will need to get past these three first before any talks of bagging home a gold medal are in order.
It's a tall task but these veterans know how basketball works more than any other group of people in the planet.
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