Sixth man Kevin Durant was exciting while it lasted.
After a thrilling comeback in the semifinals against Serbia, Steve Kerr will reportedly make a big change. According to Shams Charania from The Athletic, Kerr plans to start Kevin Durant instead of Jrue Holiday for the gold-medal game against France.
This new lineup would include Durant, Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Devin Booker, and Joel Embiid. Given France’s tall players like Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert (who didn’t start in their semifinal against Germany), these matchups could be very interesting.
If Gobert starts, Team USA might need Durant or James to guard the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama. Gobert only played five minutes in the semifinals due to a left ring finger injury, as reported by Jeff Zillgitt from USA Today. What France plans to do with Gobert is still uncertain; if he’s not at full strength, it opens up many possibilities for Kerr’s lineup.
Matchup Concerns:
Fans might think this change shows how serious Team USA is about winning gold. Tipoff for the United States vs. France game is set for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
What do you think about these changes?
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