U.S. Men’s Basketball Handles South Sudan To Clinch Spot In Quarterfinals

The United States men’s basketball team defeated South Sudan 103-86 Wednesday in its second group stage match of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Team USA remains undefeated in eight straight games since assembling for exhibition play last month.

During a relatively rough stretch heading into the Olympics, the Americans survived a few near misses, the closest of which came against South Sudan in a 101-100 victory. The rematch between the two teams was more decisive, however, as U.S. players have clearly buckled down in Olympics competition.

No single American player was a hero Wednesday, as the team instead made the most of its stacked roster to overwhelm its South Sudanese opponents. Big man Bam Adebayo led the team in scoring with 18 points, but Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards and LeBron James all put up double-digit totals as well.

The most conspicuous absence over the course of the game was Philadelphia 76ers star and former NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who did not play a single minute against South Sudan. Team USA coach Steve Kerr explained that it was simply a matchup decision and confirmed that Embiid will play Saturday against Puerto Rico.

This is not the first time that Kerr has sat a star player in order to secure an Olympics victory. In the team’s game against Serbia on Sunday, reigning NBA champion and Celtics leader Jayson Tatum did not appear on the floor.

“It’s a unique situation, and it’s not about one individual player, competitor in you wants to play obviously, but I’m not here to make a story about myself,” Tatum told reporters Wednesday. “You win a championship, new contract, NBA 2K25 cover, Sports Illustrated … so after all of this, it’s definitely a humbling experience.”

The sheer depth of talent on Team USA is staggering and has reduced most of the team’s NBA stars to role players. Other teams in the competition are fortunate to have a handful of NBA-caliber talent; the United States has 12 of the very best, which will occasionally limit a player that would normally be a key difference maker.

With a 110-84 victory over Serbia already on the books in the group stage, Team USA has clinched a spot in the quarterfinals with one group stage match still left to play. Puerto Rico has already lost two games, but a game between South Sudan and Serbia on Saturday will determine the second team in the group to advance.

Article by Patrick Moquin