After shooting in the dying minute to deny South Sudan from making history in their Pre-Olympic game at the O2 Arena on July 20, LeBron James has aided the basketball team to its first victory in the Paris Olympics.
In their Olympic opener, the U.S. squad, James and another veteran Kevin Durant cumulated 44 points to cruise to a 110-84 win over the Serbia side led by Nikola Jokic.
At 39, James showcased his all-around game with 21 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists. Durant, at 35, was the top scorer with 23 points, hitting an impressive 8-of-9 field goals and 5-of-5 three-pointers before missing his final attempt in the fourth quarter.
Durant, who had been sidelined in earlier warm-up games due to a calf injury, displayed no signs of discomfort, particularly shining in the second quarter with 15 points.
Jokic led Serbia with 20 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and four steals. Despite the loss, his influence was clear, as he ended with a neutral plus-minus rating.
Serbia initially led by eight points, but a 13-0 run by the U.S. team during the first and second quarters gave them a lead they never lost.
USA will face South Sudan who made history on Sunday, July 28, by upsetting Puerto Rico to win its first Olympic game and the second for an African nation. The match will take place at 3 p.m ET on Wednesday, July 31. Jokic’s Serbia will face Puerto Rico earlier on the same day at 11:15 a.m. ET to see who is the better.
