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These are the three keys to victory for the US men’s basketball team – NBC Boston

Posted on by Vaseline

After months of anticipation, the wait is almost over: The U.S. men’s basketball team begins its quest for a fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal on Sunday, taking on three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and Serbia at 11:15 a.m. ET.

It’s a fitting start to a tournament in which Team USA will likely have to overtake several teams featuring NBA superstars in the fight for gold.

How right is Joel Embiid?

The longer the preparations for Paris dragged on in the U.S., the further Joel Embiid became from the knee problems that plagued him toward the end of last NBA season — and the more comfortable and effective he looked. He saved his best for last, scoring 15 points and impressing on the glass in the win over Germany in London.

Now, though, the warmups are over and Jokic is a different kind of test. If Embiid doesn’t move well enough to keep up with Jokic defensively or punish him offensively, it could set the tone for the rest of the game.

Steve Kerr has opted to keep Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo together as a big, ultra-interchangeable bench duo, and for good reason: These are arguably the two most versatile defenders on the planet, and their athleticism and explosiveness will pose problems for a Serbian bench that lacks in those areas. That’s why Embiid’s form is so important: Not only will it give Team USA its own sweet-shooting 7-foot monster to match Jokic, it will also allow the rest of Kerr’s rotation to fall into place behind him.

WATCH MORE: How to watch the US men’s basketball team at the Paris Olympics: TV and streaming schedule



Law Murray, NBA reporter for The Athletic, explains why the second unit for the United States men’s basketball team will overwhelm teams more than the starting lineup in their pursuit of gold in Paris 2024.

Solve the lead protection problem

Of course, the word “problem” should really be in quotes here; virtually every other team in the men’s tournament would do anything to have Steph Curry and Anthony Edwards as their primary ball-handlers.

Still, the fact remains: Curry’s shot has been unusually hot and cold this summer, and Edwards is still learning the elite-level playmaking chops required to play point guard at this level. The result? Too often during their warmup games, the U.S. half-court offense got bogged down in turnovers and contested twos, a big reason why their games against South Sudan and Germany were such close calls. The last time these two teams faced off, Steph Freaking Curry showed up, making 6-of-9 3-pointers.

It may not be a coincidence that the US won the election.

Even with Jokic, Serbia will be at a distinct disadvantage in terms of athleticism; their goal is to screw things up as much as possible and turn this into a gruelling game. If Steph’s shot is off and Edwards can keep the ball moving, that becomes much harder.

SEE MORE: Basketball 101: US Olympic roster and player news

Will Kevin Durant play? And how healthy will he be?

It’s the million-dollar question: Will Kevin Durant finally return from the calf injury that cost him all five of the U.S. exhibition games? Durant and head coach Steve Kerr seem optimistic, but we won’t know until we know.

WATCH MORE: Steve Kerr ‘confident we’ll have everyone’ against Serbia, while Kevin Durant eyes return

At the risk of stating the obvious, even 10-15 minutes of healthy Durant is a huge deal. Not just because he’s, well, Kevin Durant, but also because his shooting, versatility and willingness to pass and move make him the ultimate lubricant for when the American offense starts to stall.

He’s also a walking quality shooter and the ultimate rescue option when the shot clock starts ticking – two things that can really help in crucial moments and when Kerr wants to get things back on track.