Krstic hopes to get ready for the next round of Spain 2014

GRANADA (FIBA Basketball World Cup) - Nenad Krstic's role with the Serbian team has changed in recent times, but this does not prevent him from hoping for a succesfull 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup.

He played only seven minutes in the tournament opener against Egypt, and sat out the following games against France and Iran because of a knee injury that only enabled him to practice 10 days before the start of the tournament.

Serbia's leading scorer in their most recent international events says he can contribute 10 to 15 minutes of play, and hopes to be ready for the Round of 16.

"I used to play around 30 minutes per game, being the main guy offensively," says the 31-year-old.

Right now I feel good, but I am still not in the best conditioning shape. I am hoping to get in the best shape as soon as possible - Krstic

"I am confident that my knee is OK, and that's the most important thing for me. I won't get in the best shape overnight.

"I am just trying to set good screens, make good passes, score if I have a chance to, but I also have a very important role off the court to support my teammates."

Serbia opened their Group A campaign in Granada with a win over Egypt, followed by a nerve racking game to France, before bouncing back against Iran on Day 3.

Krstic, the team captain, insists he has been working hard in order to get minutes in the next few days and be in the best possible situation for the next round.

When asked about the team's potential at Spain 2014, the 2.11m center known for his fine game in the paint, explained: "We are trying to play every single game to win, even when we play against the best teams like Spain or Brazil. This is our mindset for the World Cup.

"Our goal here in Spain is to go as high as possible. We'll wait and see who we'll face in the Round of 16, and start from there."

At the 2010 FIBA World Championship, Krstic and his young team had an impressive display, beating powerhouse teams like Australia, Argentina and Spain, before falling by one point against the host nation in the dying seconds of the Semi-Finals.

All they wanted, Krstic says, was to face the USA in the final.

Now, the circumstances are slightly different but they remain a competitive team: "It is still too early to compare this team with the team from 2010.

"In Turkey we played the best basketball beside the US."

FIBA