By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Team USA is on the right track, making it to the 2023 FIBA World Cup semifinals, with just two wins away from the goal – the gold medal.
Not every challenge was easy along the way, as Montenegro gave a good fight to a star-studded squad made up of some of the most talented NBA players, and Lithuania even managed to beat them.
Head coach of the Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra, who is a part of Steve Kerr’s coaching staff in the national team, is aware of the differences between the NBA and FIBA games and what it takes to adapt and win.
“The game is different. From the very first day of training camp, Steve did a great job of trying to prepare everybody for the rules, the slight differences, how the game is officiated, shorter games, the pacing could be different, and possessions mean a lot more. There are no three defensive seconds, but our guys take that as a challenge to conquer the FIBA game and these great teams,” Spoelstra said to Взял Мяч.
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“You have to find different solutions to different challenges. You can’t always play the style you want. Both teams will be scouting; we would like to play with speed, quickness, and in the open court. Teams are trying to get us into a half-court game, but you have to show collective fortitude and sometimes find different solutions to get a win.”
Kerr and his associates put together a completely new team, with many debutants and players who never experienced playing under FIBA rules, but at the end of the day, you need to put the ball through the hoop and score at least one more point than your opponent.
“It still comes down to competition. Teams here have great experience playing together for several years; we’ve been trying to put together a team in six weeks. Ultimately, it’s about deciding games between those four lines. There are two baskets, one ball, and you have to find a way to conquer the competition.”
Team USA has an amazing coaching staff, with Spoelstra, Tyronn Lue, and Mark Few assisting head coach Steve Kerr.
“It’s been very collaborative, and Steve is great about that; he wants everybody’s input. Coaching meetings have probably been my favorite part of this process and experience. Just throwing around ideas and seeing how Steve, Ty, or Mark look at something differently than I do. There have been some great discussions behind the scenes. That’s what I was looking forward to the most: working with brilliant minds and these great young, brilliant players.”
Spoelstra also talked about the last NBA season and making it to the NBA finals but eventually losing to the Denver Nuggets for the Championship.
“I’ve thought about it a lot in the first six weeks after the season; now, it’s gearing up for the next one. It was an amazing experience with a special group of people. I treasure those memories. Even though we didn’t accomplish our main goal, we have these relationships and memories that we’ll be able to hold onto forever.”
He also praised the Nuggets and their star player, Nikola Jokic, for winning their first NBA Championship after a great season.
“You have to give credit where credit is due. Sometimes, it’s another team’s time, and it was Denver’s time. They had the best player in the world, a team that was playing the best basketball when it mattered the most. We were not thrilled about that, but we were honored to be a part of that final competition on the big stage, and we tipped our hat to the Denver Nuggets organization; they’ve earned it,” Spoelstra concluded.