One of the most highly anticipated matchups of the Olympics didn’t quite live up to its expectations. After a slow start, Team USA surged to a dominant 110-84 win over Serbia. The strong start sets the team up well for the rest of the group stage, and gives the team a confidence boost after a near-loss to South Sudan ahead of the games.
Despite going down early, the U.S. came back largely due to 23 points from Kevin Durant, who returned after some time sidelined with a calf injury. Durant went a perfect 5-for-5 from beyond the arc and changed the dynamic of the game when he came on in the first quarter, scoring 21 points in the first half alone. LeBron James also had a dominant game, with 21 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds.
If only David Stern could’ve seen the show. The late NBA commissioner’s dream of growing the highest levels of basketball far outside of the United States’ borders couldn’t be more evident than the reigning, three-time NBA MVP heading into the opening game of his Olympics tournament to face Team USA. But Nikola Jokićcouldn’t carry Serbia to victory on Sunday. The Denver Nuggets big man scored 20 points for his home nation, but could not make a dent in the United States’ second-half lead.
James, Durant and the rest of Team USA’s future Hall of Famers will continue on in Paris, facing South Sudan and Puerto Rico in the group stage. The team is looking for an eighth gold medal in nine tries since the Dream Team first featured NBA players at the Olympics in 1992.
By Agencies
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