Stephen Curry led the United States to victory over Serbia

Stephen Curry led the United States with 24 points in a 105-79 victory over Serbia in a friendly game in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games held in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

Curry (who scored six three-pointers), LeBron and Embiid – who also started in the two previous friendlies, once morest Canada in Las Vegas (USA) last week and once morest Australia last Monday, also in Abu Dhabi – were once once more part of the starting five put together by Steve Kerr.

Jrue Holiday and Jason Tatum also played in the team: point guard and center, respectively, for the Boston Celtics. This year, they won the NBA championship ring, the North American professional league.

Center Nikola Jokic, once once more chosen as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) this season, was once more the top scorer with 16 points for the Serbian team, which held its own in the first quarter (28-28), but went into the break fourteen points behind the ‘US Team’ (59-45).

Serbia without resources

Svetislav Pesic’s team was once more clearly outplayed in the third quarter (83-58), but barely allowed the lead to increase by one point in the final act of a game in which Kevin Durant also did not participate, with a calf strain that might even jeopardize his presence in the Olympic tournament.

Derrick White did make his debut following replacing Kawhai Leonard in the latest version of the ‘Dream Team’. The third ‘Celtic’ to join the squad of the big favourite for gold at the Games.

White came on in the second quarter, played nine minutes and scored one point. This was a team in which Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards once once more shone, scoring 16 points. One less than Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo.

Another US standout

Adebayo was another of the standouts in the second friendly played in just three days in Abu Dhabi, where the Etihad Arena once once more recorded a record attendance for a basketball match, with a full house this time: 12,517 spectators in its stands.

Serbia and the United States are in Group C of the Olympic tournament and will face each other in their first match on Sunday 28 July in Lille, the venue for the group stage of a competition whose qualifiers will be decided in the French capital.

Las Vegas / EFE