The USA men’s basketball team defeated Serbia 110-84 this past Sunday to start their 2024 Paris Olympics in a spectacular display of skill and togetherness. Their win only further solidifies Team USA’s position as favorites to earn their fifth straight gold medal.
Led by Kevin Durant and LeBron James—who combined for forty-four points on near-perfect shooting—Team USA showcased why they retain the title of “World Champions.” Durant, who didn’t play in the exhibition matches due to a calf injury, came off the bench to score twenty-three points—twenty-one of which coming in the first half on 8-8 shooting.
James, who is the 2024 flag bearer for the United States, narrowly missed a triple-double, tallying twenty-one points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. The 39-year-old continues to defy father time, once more leading his team to victory.
Despite three-time MVP Nikola Jokic leading the way for Team Serbia, Team USA maintained a comfortable lead throughout the majority of the game. Notably, Jokic’s NBA team, the Denver Nuggets, have eliminated Lebron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in their past two playoff confrontations; this time around, James made sure things went differently. The Americans’ superior talent was most obvious in three-point shooting, with USA connecting on 18 of 32 attempts and Serbia making a disappointing 9 out of 37. 10 other teams have qualified for this year’s tournament, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Japan, Puerto Rico, South Sudan, and Spain.
Current odds have Team USA as -550 favorites to win gold, with Canada in second at +950 and host nation France at 12/1 in third.
The experience of players like Durant, James, Stephen Curry, and Joel Embiid is what Team USA coach Steve Kerr says “sets apart” themselves from the rest. USA’s next opponent South Sudan on Wednesday followed by Puerto Rico on Saturday. If all goes well, USA will be competing in the quarterfinals the week after.
