Are Joel Embiid & Kevin Durant Playing vs Serbia? Trouble for Team USA as New Name Drops in Injury Report

Over 10,000 athletes sailed across the Seine River in Paris during the opening ceremony for the Olympics. Even the rain pouring down didn’t stop athletes from relishing the lifetime experience. Unfortunately, for the USA men’s basketball team, the enthusiasm could cost them dearly. They already have Kevin Durant nursing a calf injury. Now, another key player, whom Steve Kerr was determined to start despite recent struggles, could potentially miss the opener against Serbia.

After the rain-soaked opening ceremony, reports emerged of both Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis contracting an illness. They have been labeled as questionable a day before Team USA battles Nikola Jokic and Serbia in their Paris Olympic opener. Additionally, Kevin Durant also joins the list with the same status alluding to his calf injury.

Following the opening ceremony, both Embiid and Anthony Davis have reportedly been absent from the practice sessions. On the other hand, Kevin Durant missed every single exhibition game. However, the dexterous scorer has begun workouts with the team since landing in Paris.

So will Team USA miss their cornerstones?

Steve Kerr isn’t stressing over their availability. When speaking to the media about the piling injuries, Kerr said, “I’m confident we’ll have everybody ready tomorrow,”. With the concerns being mild, how will a fully healthy Team USA decide to line up against Jokic and Serbia?

Will Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid start for Team USA?

With the head coach confident of a healthy squad, there is a chance Team USA will use a lineup they haven’t done before. The minor change would be the inclusion of Kevin Durant in the squad. Since coming to France, he has regularly practiced and even claimed to feel better with his calf.

With such optimistic news, the USA’s most successful Olympic scorer will most probably start the game playing as the power forward. If Embiid remains healthy, he will assume the center position in Kerr’s system. After his initial struggles, the juggernaut showed flashes of his unstoppable scoring arsenal and versatile defending.

Apart from the injury concerns, Stephen Curry and LeBron James are the two guaranteed starters against Serbia. Curry has been in a shooting slump as of late, but his only standout performance came against Serbia, where he scored 24 points including some circus threes. On the other hand, LeBron James, also known as the Akron Hammer, has been the biggest influence on this team so far, saving Team USA not once, but twice in London.

There are several names that can fill the backcourt spot besides Stephen Curry. Steve Kerr has preferred to use Jrue Holiday in that role primarily to strengthen the lineup’s defense. However, there is also a chance of Devin Booker or Anthony Edwards starting depending on the matchups.