Suns star Kevin Durant, who is recovering from a strained calf, participated in Team USA’s practice in London on Friday, per Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic. It was the first time Durant has practiced with the team ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The United States will face South Sudan on Saturday and Germany on Monday in its last pre-Olympic tune-up games. Durant is day-to-day and is considered questionable to play in those contests.
“I’m going to see how I feel after practice today,” Durant said.
Here are some more notes ahead of the Olympics, which begin next week:
- Team USA has gone 3-0 in exhibition contests vs. Canada, Australia and Serbia thus far. While the Americans’ roster is brimming with talent and skill, and their record is unblemished in unofficial games, not everything has been clicking so far, particularly the awkward fit of Joel Embiid, according to Michael Pina of The Ringer. Embiid is used to being the center of his team’s offense, but he has looked out of sorts playing under a different set of rules and with a reduced role, Pina observes. On the other hand, the team’s defense — led by Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo — has been extremely impressive ahead of the Olympics, says Pina.
- Three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic undoubtedly raises the ceiling of the Serbian national team, but participating in international events for his home country also comes with increased scrutiny, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes. “It’s a big burden, because it’s kind of like, he’s the best basketball player in the world,” said Nuggets assistant Ognjen Stojakovic, who has coached for Serbia since last summer. “People identify themselves with athletes and sports. They all have high expectations, especially for the national team. … There’s so much pressure on Nikola to play. And not just Nikola, for every athlete to play in all those big competitions.” Serbia is in Group C, alongside the U.S., South Sudan and Puerto Rico.
- Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was held out of Canada’s exhibition game vs. France on Friday, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. The Canadian national team said Murray was rested for precautionary reasons. The 27-year-old battled a left calf strain and a right elbow injury during the playoffs, but Denver was eliminated from contention more than two months ago.
- In case you missed it, Suns forward/center Bol Bol will miss the Olympics for South Sudan due to personal reasons.
Oh no, Jokic is dealing with pressure like every other player! Someone save him!
Sounds like he doesn’t want to play and he’d rather be betting the ponies
Why would Jokic, a player who has openly admitted he doesn’t like basketball and prefers horse racing, chose more basketball over potentially more horse racing?
Best player in the world, sure, maybe, arguably. But biggest lover of basketball in the world? Absolutely not.
Jokìc never said that he doesn’t like basketball, he has said he doesn’t like being famous and his family comes first.
No one becomes a three time MVP without loving the game.
Davey j likes to make things up, like if curry is still elite but the talent around him is obsolete, the warriors are still a contender. Davey j lives in a world of bubblegum and lollipop land.
I’m definitely expecting Shai & Giannis to make strong cases for that best player in the world title during this tournament along with guys like AD, Jokic & Embiid. If we get USA/Canada in a knockout game & Ant outplays Shai then it’d be impossible to keep him out of the convo as well. I wonder how long it’s gonna be before y’all start turning on Wembo tho. I give that honeymoon about 9more months before he gets the same type of hate that KD, Rudy, Russ, Bron, Kawhi, AD, etc got.. link to m.youtube.com
LOL best player…. 7’ers aren’t even in the conversation for best player.
3 time MVP’s are.
Until LeBron retires he’s the best player in the world. However, Jokic is the best player in the NBA.
Your spelling and grammar are a menace.
Point on Mr.Sankara . Haters aka I wish my team had HIM.
This can make Embiid better, he does not have to be 100% focal point. He likely won’t win a championship with the team having him as the main point. He gets injured and when he does the team struggles to find their way.