Steve Kerr Concerned Turnovers, Rebounding Could Lead to Team USA Upset Loss

The team isn't taking any chances a week before its FIBA World Cup opener.

The United States is on a mission to reclaim the FIBA World Cup title. It’s an unfamiliar position for this generation of American men’s basketball players, as the U.S. cruised to titles in 2010 and ’14 in Turkey and Spain, respectively.

However, after Spain topped Argentina to take the crown in 2019, the U.S. was once again thrown into redemption mode. The team has largely gelled so far — as a run of four straight exhibition victories can attest — but coach Steve Kerr cautioned Friday afternoon that the U.S. still has a pair of Achilles’ heels entering the competition.

"The concern is turnovers and rebounds. If we stay even on the possession game, I feel great about our chances against anybody," Kerr told reporters. "The way teams can beat us is if they get extra possessions and force a lot of turnovers and we're not sharp and we're not boxing out. And I've told our guys that. ... It's not really a secret."

To go to 4–0 in warm-up play, the U.S. dismantled Greece 108–86 Friday. The Americans out-rebounded the Greeks 49–35, although they did lose the turnover battle, 20–17.

The win in Abu Dhabi followed victories over Puerto Rico, Slovenia and Spain — the first in Las Vegas and the latter two in Malaga, Spain.

The United States will meet Germany Sunday morning in a final tune-up ahead of its World Cup opener, to be played Aug. 26 against New Zealand.