After a flawless 3-0 run through pool play at the 2024 Olympics, Team USA men’s basketball has put aside any doubts that surfaced during their uneven warm-up games. With an average victory margin of 24 points, they’re showing they are truly a top contender.
This year’s squad is one of the most impressive we’ve seen in a while. The 12-man roster boasts All-NBA talents such as Boston Celtics’ power forward Jayson Tatum, defensive stars Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, along with LeBron James and Anthony Davis from the Lakers. Additionally, All-Stars like Kevin Durant and Devin Booker from the Suns, Stephen Curry from the Warriors, Anthony Edwards from the Timberwolves, Joel Embiid from the 76ers, Bam Adebayo from the Heat, and Tyrese Haliburton from the Pacers complete this powerhouse lineup.
As they aim for their fifth consecutive gold medal in Paris, the knockout round kicks off on Tuesday.
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Head coach Steve Kerr is preparing to face Team Brazil in the quarterfinals. According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Kerr is aware of Brazil’s strengths, saying, “They’re very physical and the top offensive rebounding team in the tournament. They compete hard, so we need to be ready for their intensity.”
LeBron James, emerging as the team’s leader, has been reviewing game footage to prepare. The 20-time All-Star is averaging 14.3 points on an impressive 64 percent shooting, along with 7.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds per game.
“I’ve watched all the games,” LeBron said. “They are committed to their systems on both ends of the floor.”
Team USA holds the No. 1 overall seed for the remainder of the tournament, and their clash with Brazil is set for 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday. The winner will face off against either Team Australia, led by Bulls’ point guard Josh Giddey, or Team Serbia, featuring three-time MVP Nikola Jokic from the Nuggets.
Brazil’s shooting ability could present a challenge for Team USA; they made 18 three-pointers in their win against Team Japan to secure a quarterfinal spot, with NBA veteran Bruno Caboclo scoring 33 points. Notably, Warriors forward Gui Santos is the only current Team USA member facing his homeland.
On the other side of the bracket, Team Canada, with 10 active NBA players, and Germany, the 2023 FIBA World Cup champions, are also 3-0.
Kerr recognizes that his team is more familiar with the majority of the bracket than with Brazil this year. “We know almost everyone else, but Brazil is our focus now,” he stated, emphasizing their recent performances. “They made 18 threes and are highly formidable on the boards.”
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