By Humberto Viera
28 Jul 2024, 21:19 PM EDT
The United States basketball team, the heavy favorite to take home the gold, defeated Serbia 110-84 in its first game of Group C of the Olympic tournament at the Paris 2024 Games. The match was played at the Pierre Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve d’Ascq, on the outskirts of Lille, TUDN reported.
Kevin Durant, with 23 points, and LeBron James, with 21, were the top scorers of the match. For the Serbian team, Nikola Jokic was the top scorer with 20 points.
Durant entered the game with 2:33 left in the first quarter, which ended with a spectacular alley-oop served by LeBron to Anthony Davis, leaving the score at 20-25. From that moment until halftime, Durant dazzled with a perfect performance, scoring 21 points with 100% effectiveness in his eight shots: five three-pointers and three two-pointers. Those who doubted his presence at the Games were left speechless by his brilliant performance.
Durant’s display overshadowed the efforts of Jokic, who scored 12 points in the first half, and Dobric, who added 10 points. Although Serbia showed good defensive organization, they could not cope with the excellence of Durant and company, and went into the break with an eight-point deficit (49-58).
In the second half, the United States limited itself to managing its advantage and making some spectacular plays, such as another impressive assist from LeBron to Jrue Holiday, one of the three players who are coming off winning the ring with the Celtics, thus resolving the historic tie of titles in the NBA with the Lakers (18-17).
LeBron James, who will share a locker room with his son Bronny next season, showed that his son will have a tough challenge in facing the inevitable comparisons. In amazing form, LeBron joined Durant’s party, finishing with 21 points, seven rebounds and nine assists, reaching the best PIR of the game with 28.
With the score at 65-84 at the start of the fourth quarter, the United States controlled the game without forcing it too much, thinking ahead to the next matches. Serbia will face Puerto Rico, while the United States will face South Sudan, which on Sunday caused a surprise by defeating the Caribbean team.
The United States’ dominant performance in this opening match reinforces its position as the favorite for gold, showcasing a well-organized and talented team capable of overcoming any challenge on its path to Olympic glory.
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