The United States men's basketball team defeated Serbia 110-84 to get off to a flying start in Group C of the men's basketball group stage at Paris 2024.
The match, which took place on July 28 at the Pierre · Moruois Stadium in Lille, became one of the highlights of the men's basketball competition at the Olympic Games.
At the beginning of the game, Serbia performed well, leading 10-2 at one point.
United States head coach Kerr adjusted his tactics in time and the team quickly recovered after replacing Embiid.
Kevin · Durant's excellent play became a key factor in turning the situation around.
The recent star showed impressive shooting efficiency, scoring 21 points in the first half alone to help the United States build a lead.
Durant played 16 minutes, shooting 8-of-9, 5-of-5 from three-point range and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line, contributing a total of 23 points and 2 rebounds, with a plus/minus of +20.
His efficient performances not only brought victory to the team, but also proved his dominance on the international stage.
After this game, Durant's total Olympic score reached 458 points, just three points away from entering the all-time top 10.
What's more, the victory brings his personal Olympic win tally to 21, placing him in the top 10 of the all-time men's basketball individual win rankings at the Olympics.
In addition to Durant's outstanding performance, LeBron · James also contributed comprehensive statistics, with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists.
Stephen · Curry and Jalen · Brown each scored 11 points to add to the team's victory.
For Serbia, Nikola · Jokic still showed all-round strength, handing over 20 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists, but it was difficult to turn the tide.
After the game, Durant admitted that he was tired, saying that his lungs were still adjusting to the intensity of the game.
He said: I'm tired, I don't want to lie to you.
My lungs were still adjusting to the intensity of the game, but I felt good after throwing a few goals.
I think everybody did a great job tonight.
My job was to open up space and score for the team, and I'm glad I did.
Durant's outstanding performance has not only won praise from his teammates, but also recognition from his opponents.
Serbia's Vanja · Malinkovic said after the game: "We played well in the first half, but Durant and our mistakes changed the situation.
When he got into the groove, it was tough.
Another Serbia player, Ognion · Dobrik, also praised Durant's performance as the turning point of the game.
The official FIBA website praised Durant's performance, praising him for acting as if he had been on the team all along, even though he missed the entire preparation event.
This ability to adapt and play consistently is one of the reasons why Durant is known as a FIBA killer.
Durant's achievements on the international stage are already quite impressive.
He led Team United States to victory and MVP at the 2010 World Championships in Turkey, and has since helped United States win three consecutive titles at London 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
If the United States team wins another gold medal at this Olympics, Durant will become the first men's team athlete to win four Olympic gold medals, which will undoubtedly further cement his place in basketball history.
Durant's success is not accidental.
He has excellent physical talent, and his height of 211 cm and reach of 228 cm give him a unique advantage.
But more importantly, he has worked hard to improve his skills.
Durant is skilled on the ball, has a soft shooting touch, and can score from any position on the court.
His playmaking skills and passing awareness have also reached the point guard level, and he can revitalize the whole team's offense by himself.
Durant's career hasn't been without its challenges.
His decision to switch from the Thunder to the Warriors in 2016 was controversial and criticized by many fans.
But Durant didn't waver because of this, but proved his worth with his performance.
He won two championships and was elected FMVP twice during his time with the Warriors, showing great mental quality and professionalism.
Durant's success is not only reflected in the stats on the court, but also in his understanding and attitude towards the game.
As he himself said: I've been playing basketball all my life, and I'm just simplifying it.
When my hand touches the ball, I'm aggressive.
This ability to simplify complex games is one of the hallmarks of a top player.
The victory in this game was not only a victory for the United States team, but also a personal victory for Durant.
It once again proved Durant's dominance on the international stage and left a mark on his Olympic history.
As the game progresses, it is expected that Durant can continue this excellent form and lead the United States team to five consecutive Olympic titles.
The road to the championship was not without its challenges.
The United States team will also face challenges from other strong teams, including traditional powerhouses such as Serbia, Spain and France.
Every game will be a tough test and it will take the whole team to work together to get the best out of it.
Durant's performance undoubtedly gave the United States a lot of confidence.
His presence not only provides a steady source of scoring for the team, but also stands up to turn the situation around when it matters most.
His experience and leadership will also play an important role throughout the tournament, helping young players to better adapt to the pressures of the international arena.
For Durant personally, this Olympics is also an opportunity to prove himself.
Despite his many achievements, his career remains controversial in the eyes of some.
With his outstanding performance at the Olympic Games, he has the opportunity to further cement his place in basketball history and is even expected to be recognized as one of the greatest players in FIBA history.
From a broader perspective, Durant's success story also sets an example for young players.
His career has had its peaks and troughs, but he has always maintained his love for basketball and his quest for self-improvement.
This spirit is what drives the game of basketball.
As the Olympics progress, people will continue to watch the performance of Durant and Team United States.
Regardless of the final result, Durant has proven with his performance that he deserves to be a FIBA killer.
His story will continue to inspire countless people who love basketball and drive the movement of the sport around the world.
We look forward to seeing more exciting performances in the coming games, not only from Durant, but also from other good players.
The Olympic basketball arena will continue to be a showcase for the world's top players to showcase their talents and bring exciting matches to spectators.
Let's look forward to the next tournament and witness the birth of a new basketball legend.
With the men's basketball competition at the Paris Olympics, the performance of the United States team has sparked widespread attention and discussion.
The outstanding performance of veterans such as Durant and James not only brought victory to the team, but also made people look forward to the prospect of the United States team winning the championship.
The fact that there are many veterans in the team has also raised some doubts.
A netizen said: The United States team's lineup this time is indeed star-studded, but the age structure is too large is an indisputable fact.
While Durant and James performed well in their opening game, the Olympics are a long schedule and it remains to be seen if they will be able to continue to perform at a high level.
I think the coaching staff should think more about rotation and giving more opportunities to young players to make sure the team stays in good shape throughout the season.
There are supporters and opponents of this view.
Another netizen took a different view: I think 'old' should not be a reason to question the United States team.
Basketball is not only a competition of physical strength and speed, but more importantly, experience and skill.
Veterans such as Durant and James have a wealth of experience on the international stage that young players cannot match.
Their presence can stabilize the morale of the army at critical moments and lead the team through difficult times.
Judging by their performances in the opening game, these veterans are still in excellent form and there is no need to worry about their fitness problems.
As the discussion deepened, some netizens led the topic to the overall tactical arrangement of the United States team: I think the success of the United States team depends not only on individual ability, but more importantly, on how to organically combine these superstars.
The biggest challenge for Coach Kerr was how to build up a tacit understanding among the players in a limited amount of time and form an effective tactical system.
The experience of the veterans may play a key role in this, as they can understand the coach's intentions more quickly and coach the younger players on the field.
This view has been shared by many people.
Some netizens further pointed out that the advantage of the United States team is that they have multiple players who can dominate the game.
Whether it's Durant, James, or Curry, they all have the ability to step up when it matters most.
This multi-point attacking style can make it very difficult for opponents to defend.
These players are at the heart of the NBA, and they have a great sense of the big picture and a selfless sense of passing, which is invaluable for a national team that has been assembled in a short period of time.
Some netizens also expressed concern that the United States team relies too much on individual ability: although the United States team has many superstars, basketball is a team sport after all.
If the players don't work together well, it's hard to succeed on the international stage on their own.
We have seen examples of United States losing in past World Cups.
Hopefully, this Olympics, the United States team will be able to truly play the strength of the team, rather than simply relying on individual heroism.
This concern is not unfounded.
FIBA games are very different from the NBA and require more teamwork.
Some netizens have conducted an in-depth analysis of this: In the international arena, many teams have become accustomed to fighting against the United States team's solo attack.
If the United States team does not establish an effective team attacking system, it is likely to find itself in trouble against some of the best European teams that work together.
Coach Kerr needs to make the most of his training time to familiarize his players with each other's style of play and form a tactical system that can bring out both individual characteristics and team strengths.
As the game progresses, the performance of the United States team will give the best answer.
Both the experience of the veterans and the dynamism of the young players will be put to the test at the Olympic Games.
Fans are looking forward to seeing a United States team that has both individual heroism and team basketball charm.
While discussing the United States team, the strength of the other participating teams cannot be ignored.
Some netizens pointed out: Although the United States team has a luxurious lineup, the basketball level of other countries is also improving.
Serbia, Spain, France and other teams have many players who play in the NBA, and they are very familiar with the style of play of the United States team.
These teams are more tacit in the international arena and may cause a lot of trouble for the United States team.
This view reminds us that the quality of other participating teams should not be underestimated.
Basketball at the Paris Olympics is bound to be a battle of dragons and tigers, with every team having the potential to pull off miracles.
The United States team needs to be constantly vigilant and at their best for every game.
As the Olympics approach, so do the expectations for basketball.
No matter what the final result is, I believe that the basketball court of this Olympic Games will definitely dedicate a wonderful game for us and show the charm of basketball.
Let's look forward to the wonderful performance on the basketball court at the Paris Olympics and witness the birth of a new basketball legend.