MANILA, Philippines — Kevin Durant returned from injury to produce a shooting masterclass as the United States launched the defense of its Olympic basketball crown with a 110-84 win over Serbia on Sunday.
Durant, who missed the entirety of the USA’s Olympic build-up with a calf injury, shot a near-perfect 8-of-9 from the field to finish with 23 points in a convincing win for the reigning champions, who are eyeing a fifth straight Olympic crown.
“It feels good to make some shots,” Durant told reporters after the win. “Everybody played their role pretty well tonight and my role was to come in and make some space for the team – glad I was able to knock some down.
Meanwhile, coach Steve Kerr says Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum will have an important role to play in the USA’s pursuit of a fifth straight Olympic gold despite not playing in Sunday’s opening win.
Five-time All-Star Tatum, a key pillar of Boston’s NBA championship-winning campaign last season, was a frustrated spectator on the bench.
Kerr said Tatum was left out to accommodate the return from injury of Kevin Durant – a decision he admitted looked “crazy” at first glance.
“It’s really hard in a 40-minute game to play more than 10 guys,” Kerr said. “And with Kevin coming back, I just went to the combinations I felt would make the most sense.”