Despite the return of Kevin Durant from a calf strain today, the Team USA will be using the same starting lineup in their opening Olympics matchup that they used in their last two exhibition games.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!This means Durant’s Suns teammate Devin Booker will be starting alongside Stephen Curry, Jrue Holiday, LeBron James and Joel Embiid against Serbia. Booker finished with five and three points in Team USA’s final exhibition games, but had a team-high +50 plus/minus the U.S.’s five exhibitions leading up to the games in which they went 5-0.
???????? #USABMNT Olympic Opener Starting Five
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— USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 28, 2024
Durant missed all five of the exhibition games due to a calf strain, but was widely expected to start given that he is Team USA’s all-time leading scorer both in the Olympics and in all-time FIBA play. According to an NBC report before the game, Durant might not play much as the team looks to ease him into the game, but won’t have a minutes restriction.
Today’s game against defending MVP Nikola Jokic and Serbia tips off at 8:15 a.m. MST on NBC . The U.S. defeated Serbia 105-79 in an exhibition match a couple weeks ago in Abu Dhabi.
Kevin Durant available for Team USA’s Olympic opener against Serbia
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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
