Team USA plans to start Kevin Durant vs. France in Saturday’s Olympic final
Aug 9, 2024, 3:36 PM
Kevin Durant #7 of Team United States celebrates during a Men's basketball semifinals match between Team United States and Team Serbia on day thirteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 08, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Team USA plans to start Phoenix Suns forward and USA all-time leading scorer Kevin Durant in Saturday’s Olympic final against France, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Head coach Steve Kerr is expected to insert Durant into his starting five and move Jrue Holiday to a bench role.
Kerr closed the semifinals with a lineup of Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, LeBron James, Joel Embiid and Durant in Team USA’s 95-91 comeback victory over Serbia on Thursday.
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The Suns forward worked through a strained calf and started each of the past five games on the bench. He also missed all five exhibition games in the run up to the Olympics and was held out of practices until July 19.
Across five games during this Olympiad, Durant is averaging 13.6 points, three rebounds and two assists in 20.5 minutes. He scored 23 points and shot 8-of-9 (88.9%) from the field in Thursday’s semifinal victory over Serbia.
Durant has won three Olympic gold medals (2012, 2016, 2020) and is averaging 29.6 points per game in the three gold medal games.
Team USA’s Paris Olympics game schedule
Team USA will take on France at 12:30 p.m. in Saturday’s gold medal game in a rematch of the 2021 Olympic final in Tokyo. The game will air on NBC, Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.
