By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
It has been an exciting journey for Stephen Curry, playing for Team USA in France. Especially producing a major showing in the Semifinals that leads to a gold medal game against the home country on Saturday.
Curry, 36, talked about the clash with France in Paris during a Zoom call organized by USA Basketball, USAB, on Friday.
“France has been playing great. I think they made rotation changes after pool play,” he referred to adjustments made by head coach Vincent Collet between the preliminary and knockout stages of the tournament, “I know it is going to be a battle. But I think we will be locked in and focus on the strategy and gameplay. And being the killers that we are throughout the tournament.”
A four-time NBA champion with the Golden State Warriors, the Akron native is accustomed to crucial games. However, international basketball heavily invested in single-elimination contests is different, perhaps reminiscing college days at Davidson.
“It is different in the Playoffs, because you know a team well after seven games, there is a familiarity there,” noted Curry, “Against Serbia, the way we were playing, the in-game adjustment in the end, that was different.”
“The challenge is to turn the page and prepare for a team we have not played,” he focused on the next game.
Joel Embiid focuses on gold
In the Semifinals, Curry scored 36 points behind 12/19 field goals, including 9/14 from beyond the arc. Joel Embiid added 19 points, helping set up a Final against France, a few months after opting in favor of playing for Team USA instead of Les Bleus.
“Frankly, I do not understand why I have got a lot of criticism,” he talked about crowd reactions across Lille and Paris with him on the court for the United States, “It is all about doing what it takes to win gold. That is all I am focused on.”
“You expect them to play the game of their lives,” projected Curry on France, “They are going to have the homecourt advantage and we expect them to be great. We expect that from ourselves as well.”
“It has been a grind, being away from home and family for a few weeks. But the group of guys we have made it easy. Paris is a great city and the next one is LA. But I might not be with Team USA,” added Embiid hinting to a potential international change in his future.
Photo Credit: FIBA