Steve Kerr: There's no thought of replacing Kevin Durant on Team USA
Steve Kerr had hoped Kevin Durant would play in one of the games in London but the new plan is for him to practice with the team several times when it gets to France later this week. Kerr said he also wants Durant to have some contact and go through a scrimmage before bringing him back, which makes Sunday’s pool play opener against Serbia in some doubt. USA Basketball has until Saturday to finalize the roster and Durant will be on it. “There’s no thought of replacing Kevin,” Kerr said. “I was hoping he would get a game in here, but it just didn’t work out that way.”
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Evan Sidery @esidery
During Team USA’s exhibition games, Tyrese Haliburton was slowly phased out of the rotation entirely by Steve Kerr:
Canada = 20 minutes
Serbia = 15 minutes
South Sudan = 7 minutes
Germany = 0 minutes
Haliburton, who was one of the key players on Team USA’s FIBA roster, appears pic.twitter.com/7SrpHzOPuE – 6:41 PM
During Team USA’s exhibition games, Tyrese Haliburton was slowly phased out of the rotation entirely by Steve Kerr:
Canada = 20 minutes
Serbia = 15 minutes
South Sudan = 7 minutes
Germany = 0 minutes
Haliburton, who was one of the key players on Team USA’s FIBA roster, appears pic.twitter.com/7SrpHzOPuE – 6:41 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Team USA outlasts Germany, Devin Booker key block, 3-point play; Kevin Durant (calf) out again (w/videos) #Suns #TeamUSA #Paris2024 azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral pic.twitter.com/2zAWVsu5P7 – 6:26 PM
Team USA outlasts Germany, Devin Booker key block, 3-point play; Kevin Durant (calf) out again (w/videos) #Suns #TeamUSA #Paris2024 azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral pic.twitter.com/2zAWVsu5P7 – 6:26 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Team USA outlasts Germany to conclude exhibition schedule with 5-0 mark, Devin Booker key block, 3-point play; Kevin Durant out again with calf injury (w/videos) #Suns #TeamUSA #Paris2024 azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 5:35 PM
Team USA outlasts Germany to conclude exhibition schedule with 5-0 mark, Devin Booker key block, 3-point play; Kevin Durant out again with calf injury (w/videos) #Suns #TeamUSA #Paris2024 azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 5:35 PM
Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
Tremendous 4th qtr from LeBron to give USA their 2nd straight come from behind win 92-88 vs Germany. 20 pts overall in 18 min. A very uneven 5-0 over last 2 weeks in the run up to Paris. The possible return of Durant might give them more room for error, but Gold is NOT assured – 5:12 PM
Tremendous 4th qtr from LeBron to give USA their 2nd straight come from behind win 92-88 vs Germany. 20 pts overall in 18 min. A very uneven 5-0 over last 2 weeks in the run up to Paris. The possible return of Durant might give them more room for error, but Gold is NOT assured – 5:12 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Team USA 10-man rotation: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White.
Kevin Durant (calf) looks to play after missing exhibitions. If USA keeps 10-man rotation, who sits? #TeamUSA – 4:44 PM
Team USA 10-man rotation: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Derrick White.
Kevin Durant (calf) looks to play after missing exhibitions. If USA keeps 10-man rotation, who sits? #TeamUSA – 4:44 PM
Dalton Johnson @DaltonJ_Johnson
Steve Kerr starts the 4th quarter with Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis – 4:40 PM
Steve Kerr starts the 4th quarter with Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis – 4:40 PM
Carl Steward @stewardsfolly
Not much Team in Team USA right now. Way too much hero ball and Germany has come back to take the lead by 3 going to the fourth quarter. Nobody for USA seems to be able to rebound. Getting killed on second chance points. Good thing for Steve Kerr this is just an exhibition. – 4:38 PM
Not much Team in Team USA right now. Way too much hero ball and Germany has come back to take the lead by 3 going to the fourth quarter. Nobody for USA seems to be able to rebound. Getting killed on second chance points. Good thing for Steve Kerr this is just an exhibition. – 4:38 PM
Adam Zagoria @AdamZagoria
Jim Boeheim on Kevin Durant & Team USA: ‘If he’s on the team, we will not lose’ nj.com/sports/2024/07… – 4:35 PM
Jim Boeheim on Kevin Durant & Team USA: ‘If he’s on the team, we will not lose’ nj.com/sports/2024/07… – 4:35 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant out for final Team USA exhibition game with calf injury (w/video) #Suns #TeamUSA #Paris2024 azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 4:06 PM
Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant out for final Team USA exhibition game with calf injury (w/video) #Suns #TeamUSA #Paris2024 azcentral.com/story/sports/n… via @azcentral – 4:06 PM
Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
White in for Haliburton in the second unit. Guessing Hali wasn’t going to be in the Olympic rotation anyway once KD is back so now White gets another look after Hali got a few earlier in the tour. – 3:19 PM
White in for Haliburton in the second unit. Guessing Hali wasn’t going to be in the Olympic rotation anyway once KD is back so now White gets another look after Hali got a few earlier in the tour. – 3:19 PM
Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Team USA: Kevin Durant still out with injury @Sportando sportando.basketball/en/team-usa-ke… – 3:07 PM
Team USA: Kevin Durant still out with injury @Sportando sportando.basketball/en/team-usa-ke… – 3:07 PM
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Devin Booker gets start with Jrue Holiday, Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Joel Embiid for Team USA vs. Germany.
Kevin Durant (calf) will sit as he has yet to play in the five Team USA exhibition games. #TeamUSA #Paris2024 – 3:05 PM
Devin Booker gets start with Jrue Holiday, Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Joel Embiid for Team USA vs. Germany.
Kevin Durant (calf) will sit as he has yet to play in the five Team USA exhibition games. #TeamUSA #Paris2024 – 3:05 PM
Dalton Johnson @DaltonJ_Johnson
Time for Team USA’s final tuneup before the Olympics
Steve Kerr’s starting lineup
Steph Curry
Jrue Holiday
Devin Booker
LeBron James
Joel Embiid – 3:02 PM
Time for Team USA’s final tuneup before the Olympics
Steve Kerr’s starting lineup
Steph Curry
Jrue Holiday
Devin Booker
LeBron James
Joel Embiid – 3:02 PM
Tony Mejia @MejiaDinero
Definitely going to be fun to hear Steve Kerr’s rationale for this 2H starting lineup. I like it, just want to hear the thought process. #TeamUSA #USABasketball – 4:20 PM
Definitely going to be fun to hear Steve Kerr’s rationale for this 2H starting lineup. I like it, just want to hear the thought process. #TeamUSA #USABasketball – 4:20 PM
Evan Sidery @esidery
After taking an 8-0 lead, Team USA has been outscored 58-36 versus South Sudan.
A stunner ongoing in London as USA is getting blown out.
Steve Kerr will need to make some adjustments within the rotation heading into the Olympics. pic.twitter.com/cuyPmPOHk7 – 4:02 PM
After taking an 8-0 lead, Team USA has been outscored 58-36 versus South Sudan.
A stunner ongoing in London as USA is getting blown out.
Steve Kerr will need to make some adjustments within the rotation heading into the Olympics. pic.twitter.com/cuyPmPOHk7 – 4:02 PM
Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Steve Kerr said having LeBron James around USA Basketball for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 is “pretty special and amazing” 🇺🇸
The American head coach also mentioned the importance of defense to win the gold medal, and confirmed Joel Embiid will start:
eurohoops.net/en/olympic-gam… – 6:41 AM
Steve Kerr said having LeBron James around USA Basketball for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 is “pretty special and amazing” 🇺🇸
The American head coach also mentioned the importance of defense to win the gold medal, and confirmed Joel Embiid will start:
eurohoops.net/en/olympic-gam… – 6:41 AM
More on this storyline
Durant practiced last week and ramped up his activity level over the weekend but was still not ready Monday. He flatly said “no” when he was asked last week whether his previous history with calf injuries — he had a strain in his left calf just before suffering an Achilles injury in the same leg during the 2019 Finals — affected how he was approaching returning from this injury. -via ESPN / July 22, 2024
Joe Vardon: Kevin Durant will not play against Germany tonight due to his strained calf. He will have missed the entire preseason for Team USA, but the plan is for him to continue onto Paris and play at the Olympics, a source said. He is considered day to day, @TheAthleticNBA -via Twitter @joevardon / July 22, 2024
Tim Reynolds: LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Steph Curry and Jrue Holiday already had 29,994 NBA points between them by July 9, 2011 — the day that South Sudan officially became an independent state. And South Sudan is up 18-16 with 3:20 left in the first. -via Twitter @ByTimReynolds / July 20, 2024