Team USA Preps for Serbia Showdown, Aiming to Shut Down Jokic

Team USA is gearing up for a high-stakes semifinal clash against Serbia at the Olympic Games this Thursday.

The American squad is confident they have the strategy to neutralize Serbian star Nikola Jokic despite his NBA prowess.

Without key NBA teammates like Jamal Murray, Jokic must rely heavily on players such as Bogdan Bogdanovic.

Serbia has had a mixed performance in the tournament, including needing overtime to overcome a 24-point deficit against Australia in the quarterfinals.

They've also lost twice to Team USA this summer, adding to the Americans' confidence.

Coach Steve Kerr is cautiously optimistic. "We can't get lulled to sleep because we beat them twice," he warned.

Kerr plans to exploit the depth of his All-Star big men trio—Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid, and Bam Adebayo—to wear Jokic down.

"We know we have the advantage in numbers," Kerr stated, emphasizing the rotating defensive pressure on Jokic.

The American centers are ready for the challenge. Davis highlighted the strategic advantage: "We have three bigs who just keep rotating and make it tough for him. We'll give him a steady diet. Each of us offer a different look, different size. He'll have to deal with that."

Embiid, who faced criticism earlier in the tournament, silenced doubters with a dominant performance against Brazil.

Davis praised Embiid's resurgence: "He came out ready to play. The crowd was booing him, but he embraces it and we embrace it for him. It sparks our team."

Team USA's strategy hinges not just on their big men but also on their scoring guards.

"Our job as bigs is to do the jobs we're built to do," Davis said, underscoring the team's collective effort. "We give the guards second-chance opportunities with rebounds, blocks, just do our part. Just being aggressive and being dominant."

With a clear game plan and a balanced roster, Team USA is poised to tackle the semifinal with confidence.

As Embiid expressed, "We want to make sure we're locked in and follow the plan. We want to do what the three of us are designed to do."