Team USA is nothing short of a war machine. The team’s latest outing against Serbia showed a glimpse into the future. After a neck-to-neck start to the game, LeBron James & Co. pressed the gas in the second half and stormed their way into a dominant 105-79 victory. While it seemed like a positive sign for US basketball, the team’s first unit has repeatedly shown signs of concern amid Steve Kerr’s pending decision. And, a veteran analyst predicts Kevin Durant to save the day.

Even though the US side dominated Nikola Jokic & Co., the team almost fell against Australia after the team gave away 18 turnovers. If not for the second unit’s late heroics, the team would have bitten the dust against Josh Giddey & Co. The team has a power-packed starting line-up with superstars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Joel Embiid. Despite their offensive brilliance, the unit found it difficult to match the rhythm, as they struggled with a flurry of turnovers.

On the other hand, Embiid evidently struggled to fit in the side. Steve Kerr, speaking of his efforts, said, “Joel is getting better and better every day. Usually, it takes big guys a little longer to get rhythm and flow. But I love Joel. He’s a dominant player.” However, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne predicted that the situation wouldn’t last for long until Kevin Durant‘s return from the calf injury.

Speaking in the latest episode of NBA Today, Shelburne said, “Right now, the second unit has been better than the first unit in terms of score, and plus-minus Etc but when Kevin Durant goes in that starting lineup they’re going to be better.” She further said, “They haven’t even made full use of their talent yet, like Joel Embiid. He’s playing out there but they’re not featuring him the way the Sixers feature him… At some point, the more they play, you’re going to see more out of Embiid, more out of Durant, more out of some of these guys.”

Will Steve Kerr make changes to the starting line-up?

Despite having Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo on the roster, Steve Kerr had the easiest decision to place the former MVP Joel Embiid in the starting lineup. However, AD and Bam have come out, all guns blazing in the second unit. Especially Davis, who put up a two-way performance, specifically dominating the defense corner. Notably, AD turned into a goalkeeper for Team USA as he consistently rejected the opponents near the rim. He led the team with 12 blocks in 3 games.

On the other end, Bam Adebayo has also been a brilliant forward, showcasing his shooting skills. In the last game against Team Serbia, he dropped 17 points with 8 rebounds, which also included 3 three-pointers. Importantly, it even fetched him a new nickname, “Splash Brother” from LeBron James. Contrastingly, Joel Embiid had an off night, scoring 8 points with 2-8 FG.

Amid this slum, Steve Kerr hinted at a possible replacement in the starting line-up. It could be either AD or Bam, who might replace the Cameroonian. Kerr, in his statement, after the win against Australia, said, ” I think it’s going to be important for us to figure out the best combinations and putting the right people together, and that’s still a work in progress.” So, fans might see a different starting lineup for the next exhibition game against South Sudan.