As expected, Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James did his thing on Sunday as he led Team USA to a lopsided win over Serbia, 110-84, in the Americans’ Olympic opener. It was Kevin Durant, however, who stole the show with his magnificent effort from the bench, which came despite the Phoenix Suns forward’s playing status being in doubt due to a lingering calf injury.
Based on his performance on Sunday, it does appear that Durant’s calf isn’t bothering him at all.
Team USA News: LeBron James Reacts to Kevin Durant’s Massive Performance
Even LeBron himself was left impressed by Durant’s performance on Sunday after the Suns superstar dropped a cool 23 points off the bench in just 17 minutes of action. For good measure, KD went 8-of-9 from the field, including 5-of-5 from beyond the arc in a near-perfect outing for the former NBA MVP.
James (21 points, seven rebounds, nine assists) had nothing but good things to say about Durant after the game.
“To have KD on my side is a treat for sure,” James stated.
“We’ll be better coming up on Wednesday.”
LeBron James says Team USA can still improve after a dominant win in their #ParisOlympics opener.
📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/bMiyV5lLaL
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 28, 2024
In truth, Team USA would have probably still won this game even if Durant was unable to suit up. However, as made evident by LeBron’s post-game comments, having KD available is crucial for the squad and their quest for a gold medal.
The Americans have two more games coming up in the qualifying stage, and if LeBron, Durant, and the rest of the team are able to keep their foot on the gas, then Team USA should be able to live up to the lofty expectations the fans have on them in this tournament.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wv3p3U5LiYM&pp=ygUZdXNhIHNlcmJpYSBoaWdobGlnaHRzIG5iYQ%3D%3D
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