Coach Steve Kerr has stressed that they cannot take comfort from their 26-point win over Serbia in their opening group game, or from their victory by the same margin in Abu Dhabi on July 17. Kerr wonders whether Serbia and Nikola Jokic could be preparing a surprise for the teams’ third meeting in less than a month in Thursday’s semi-finals.
“We can’t get complacent just because we’ve beaten them twice,” Kerr said. “We have to be ready for their best effort. We have to think about what they’ll do differently. Jokic might play 40 minutes. What do they have up their sleeve?” That concern is shared by players, including Joel Embiid, who is likely to start the game against Jokic.
Nikola Jokic has proven to be a formidable opponent for the United States. He is averaging 19.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 7.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game on 60% shooting. Additionally, when Jokic is on the court, Serbia has outscored its opponents by 43 points, while when he is on the bench they have been outscored by 12 points. In the last meeting against the United States, the difference in the score was close during Jokic’s 31 minutes on the court, but significant in his absence.
Serbia’s veteran coach Svetislav Pesic has used Jokic in unusual rotations, which has created speculation about his strategy for the upcoming game. In addition, players such as Bogdan Bogdanovic have stood out with an average of 18.5 points per game and excellent percentages on three-point and free throw shots. Despite being defeated previously, Serbia has won three games in a row, and LeBron James emphasizes the need to focus and be ready for the next challenge.
2024-08-08 02:03:46
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