Team USA Improves to 3-0, Win Over Serbia

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- Stephen Curry had a sizzling 18 points in his first 11 minutes, one of those hot streaks that raises goosebumps throughout arenas as those high-arcing 3-pointers splash repeatedly through the net.

Then the buzzer sounded and a sub was coming to get him, something coach Steve Kerr probably never imagined himself doing in the middle of the second quarter. This is the way Team USA is supposed to go. Merciless firepower and relentless talent deployment.

Now two weeks into the journey toward the Paris Olympics, the Americans aren't perfect but this potentially historic group is starting to show its teeth. The team improved to 3-0 in its warmup tour with an impressive 105-79 victory over medal contender Serbia on Wednesday at Etihad Arena.

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Even by Team USA standards, this group is outrageously deep. The Americans have seven MVP Awards represented in their starting lineup -- not including Kevin Durant, who remains out with a calf injury -- but they might be scarier when Kerr goes to his bench.

During this tour Kerr has been using hockey-style substitutions, subbing in five players at a time. After Curry exited on that hot streak in the second quarter, for example, Team USA finished the half on a 19-5 run with the "backups." The starters then came back for the third quarter and ripped off a 11-0 run and that was that.

Only then did LeBron James, who had 11 points, start flexing after a few power drives. It was that kind of night.

Serbia is potentially the USA's strongest contender for the gold medal. They have size, they have experience and they have Nikola Jokic, who might be the best player in the world.