(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
Having some of the best NBA players of all time, it’s not easy to picture a team challenging Team USA.
That was even more of the case when the Americans were about to square off vs. South Sudan, a nation on the rise, basketball-wise, that is just walking it’s first steps in the game.
That may have been why Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr overlooked them and may have gotten a little too confident ahead of the game.
Team USA escaped with a one-point win after being favored by as many as 43 points before tip-off, and Kerr took the blame for not having them ready for that matchup.
Talking to the Associated Press, Kerr admitted that he didn’t do a good job of briefing the team or preparing them to counter South Sudan’s strength:
“I did not do a great job preparing our team,” Kerr said. “We did not focus enough on what they’re capable of, and that’s on me.”
Of course, it’s usually the lesser team that adjusts it’s game plan to contain the favorite, but this is basketball nonetheless.
Anything can happen in a one-game scenario, and this is simply something they cannot afford, particularly at this level.
Everybody will be aiming for Team USA’s throne.
In some cases, it might even be more important to beat them than to actually win a medal, as it would make the ultimate statement.
Talent alone won’t get the job done, and that’s a lesson Coach Kerr and Team USA should’ve learned a long time ago.
It’s still early to sound the alarms, and hopefully, this scare was the catalyst they needed to get on track ahead of the Olympics.
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