LeBron James and Kevin Durant rapidly acquired into the rhythm of taking part in on the Olympics once more, serving to the U.S. males’s nationwide basketball staff make headway in the direction of their aim of a fifth straight Olympic gold medal at these Summer season Video games, with a 110-84 victory over Serbia on Sunday.
James, a 20-time NBA All-Star and the NBA’s all-time scoring chief as of final yr, hadn’t competed within the Olympics for 12 years however had secured three Olympic medals: two golds from 2012 and 2008 and a bronze from 2004.
As for Durant, the now four-time Olympian was making his summer time debut however got here with three gold medals underneath his belt. He’s hoping to change into probably the most adorned male basketball participant, surpassing Carmelo Anthony, who has three gold medals and a bronze from Athens in 2004.
Durant missed all 5 exhibition video games the U.S. performed forward of Paris resulting from a calf pressure. Nevertheless, because the highest-scoring participant in males’s Olympic basketball historical past, Durant made his first eight photographs on the way in which to 23 factors in lower than 17 minutes. James added 21 factors, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists.
“All people performed their function fairly effectively,” Durant mentioned. “My function was to come back in and supply spacing and shot-making for the staff, and I’m glad I used to be in a position to knock them down.”
The individuals have spoken. 🗣️
LeBron James and Kevin Durant dominate in Sport 1 of the #ParisOlympics. pic.twitter.com/Ud73qHxQW2
— NBC Sports activities (@NBCSports) July 28, 2024
U.S. coach Steve Kerr, who spent three seasons with Durant on the Golden State Warriors, introduced Durant off the bench slightly than utilizing him within the beginning lineup.
“Greater than any participant I’ve ever been round, when he comes again from a protracted absence, you don’t discover it,” Kerr mentioned.
The NBA superstars had been a mixed 18 for 22 from the sector—8 of 9 for Durant, 9 of 13 for James—because the U.S. had no bother with the reigning World Cup silver medalists from final summer time within the Philippines. Jrue Vacation scored 15, Devin Booker had 12, and Anthony Edwards and Stephen Curry every added 11 for the U.S.
Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic scored 20 factors for Serbia, whereas Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 14.
“That’s one of the best recreation we’ve performed to this point,” James mentioned after the People improved to 6-0 this summer time, 1-0 within the event that issues.
Each groups return to motion on Wednesday, with the U.S. taking over upstart South Sudan—a rematch of a 101-100 escape win for the People in an exhibition in London earlier this month—and Serbia assembly Puerto Rico in what might basically be an elimination recreation for each groups.
