The U.S. men’s basketball team began their quest for a gold medal at the Paris Olympics with a convincing 110-84 win over Serbia. Kevin Durant led the team with 23 points, showcasing his dominance despite missing all of the exhibition games leading up to the Olympics. LeBron James also had a strong performance with 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists, continuing his success from the 2012 London Olympics where he last played. Nikola Jokić, a three-time NBA MVP, led Serbia with 20 points, but their team was ultimately overwhelmed by the talent on the USA side.
The United States displayed exceptional shooting in their first game, shooting 62.3% from the field and 56.3% from three-point range. Players like Devin Booker and Stephen Curry posed problems for the Serbian defense with their off-ball movement, allowing other perimeter stars to take advantage of screens and create scoring opportunities. The front-court rotation of Joel Embiid, Bam Adebayo, and Anthony Davis also proved to be solid defensively, limiting Serbia’s effectiveness in the paint outside of Jokić.
The U.S. team received contributions from various players on the roster in addition to Durant and James. Jrue Holiday scored 15 points and showcased his defensive skills, while Booker, Curry, and Anthony Edwards added 12, 11, and 11 points respectively. Edwards brought energy and attitude to the game, making an impact on both ends of the court. Durant’s return to the lineup led to a tighter rotation, with players like Jayson Tatum not seeing any action in the first game. Coach Steve Kerr opted for a defensive-minded approach with players like Holiday and Derrick White.
Despite being heavy favorites to win their fourth consecutive gold medal, the U.S. team faced a challenging opponent in Serbia. While Serbia may lack NBA depth, they make up for it with their cohesion as a team. Serbia had won silver at the previous year’s FIBA World Cup and boasts current NBA stars like Nikola Jokić and Bogdan Bogdanović. The U.S. team’s impressive win in their opening game demonstrated their strength and depth, setting a positive tone for their gold medal defense at the Paris Olympics.
