Perhaps the pivotal second on this sport – tonally, if not competitively – got here proper on the finish of the third quarter. Anthony Edwards sends Nikola Jovic to the shoe store with an outrageous feint and slip, drains a easy two, and as he peels away he sees just about the whole bench doing impressions of him, spinning and reeling, consumed in suits of laughter. That, in hindsight, was most likely the purpose at which a probably difficult Olympic basketball opener in opposition to the world’s No 4 facet dissolved absolutely into riotous, uproarious pantomime.
So no, it’s truthful to say Crew USA didn’t get the memo. They don’t seem to be burdened by your expectations. They don’t seem to be protecting themselves up at evening worrying about how they measure up in opposition to 1992. They haven’t been studying your angsty tweets (apart from KD, who virtually definitely has). The consequence: three quarters of pure enterprise, one quarter of pure pleasure, a possible medal rival not merely dispatched however shoved disdainfully apart, a sport that was mainly conceived at its outset as a collection of memes.
And so we had LeBron storming across the courtroom like a berserker, possessed by that very LeBron type of anger, the place he’s kicking your butt, however he’s solely doing it in your personal good. We had Steph Curry sinking a no-look three within the last seconds and strolling away whereas the ball was nonetheless within the air, whereas a close-by safety guard gawped in pure amazement. We had Kevin Durant placing in one of many all-time nice capturing performances within the historical past of Olympic basketball, and doing it whereas primarily grinning the whole time.
Maybe the very idea of US Olympic basketball within the trendy period has its roots within the decadent pleasures of mass leisure. It is a sports activities crew constructed like an American client product, a masterclass in mainly giving the individuals every part they need, suddenly, for so long as they need it. Right here’s Guardians of the Galaxy. And the Avengers. Topped with marshmallows and chocolate bits. And bacon. Served with cheerleaders. And cupholders.
If that is what it’s like to look at, then what should it really feel like on the within of what would possibly effectively be the best roster of basketball expertise ever assembled? How enjoyable should that be? “That’s the fantastic thing about this expertise,” a beaming Curry mentioned afterwards. “Rekindling some previous flames. Enjoying with guys I’ve by no means performed with earlier than, like LeBron and AD [Anthony Davis]. I’m having the time of my life.” Edwards, in the meantime, was much more succinct. “I obtained to play alongside KD, so I’m good,” he mentioned.
And of all the celebrities on this constellation, Durant appears like the important thing right here, and in methods that aren’t at all times instantly obvious. Thirty-five years previous and with three Olympic golds already within the cupboard, Durant was unplayable for big components of this sport, coming off the bench within the first half and capturing eight from eight, 5 of them from past the perimeter, 21 factors in whole.
The spotlight got here proper on the buzzer, a miracle fadeaway after James had put the ball again in play with simply three seconds on the clock. By no means earlier than had he made 20 factors from the sphere at 100% in any half of his NBA profession. However the luckless Serbs had been merely the newest crew to find that worldwide KD – even an getting older KD, a KD recovering from damage, a KD who missed all of the warm-ups – is a subtly totally different proposition. In the land of wonderful eating, Durant got here to eat.
However maybe the much less tangible high quality Durant provides is that he will get what that is about. A bona fide nationwide crew legend to go along with every part he has achieved within the NBA, Durant will get that this factor – this idea – solely actually works if it’s enjoyable. {That a} grizzled, snarling, salty America can clearly nonetheless flip up and win, however would nonetheless someway battle to seize the essence of the expertise. That at its coronary heart this isn’t a lot a voyage of conquest as discovery: pushing the boundaries, turning the vibes as much as 10 and seeing what you’ll be able to create collectively. “He’s my favorite participant on this planet,” Edwards mentioned. “I believe he’s the best. Any time he steps on the ground, he’s obtained it going.”
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The irony was that with out Durant, this might need been deal tighter. The US began rusty, Serbia opening up a 10-2 hole, Joel Embiid struggling on defence and getting needlessly booed by the French crowd (he qualifies to play for France, however rejected their overtures). However with Durant purring, Jrue Vacation and Bam Adebayo immense in defence and James providing his typical barrelling, good alpha-male power, they at all times had one thing in reserve.
“Speaking about Kevin Durant as a six-man tells you the way good this crew might be,” Curry mentioned. “You could possibly take any 5 out of us 12, and it’s an all-star, hall-of-fame lineup. We simply must play prefer it.”
Serbia, anchored by the three‑time NBA MVP Jokic, performed a bodily sport however more and more struggled for rhythm as the sport progressed, making too many dangerous choices. They shot 42% from the sphere and simply 24% from the three, with Bogdan Bogdanovic having a very troublesome evening. However then, as is changing into more and more clear, stress shouldn’t be one thing the US really feel, it’s one thing they apply to others. Serbia had no solutions right here, and it’s not instantly clear if anybody else will.
