Team USA head coach Steve Kerr has confirmed that LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Joel Embiid will likely continue starting together after Team USA’s 105-79 win over Serbia in Abu Dhabi.
“Yeah, I like those three guys in the starting lineup. We’ve been looking at other guys around them and we obviously do have great options, but I like those three guys together.”
Steve Kerr expects to continue playing LeBron, Steph, and Embiid as starters: "Yeah, I like those three guys in the starting lineup. We've been looking at other guys around them and we obviously do have great options, but I like those three guys together." pic.twitter.com/y0C6hJpW9U
— Fadeaway World (@FadeawayWorld) July 17, 2024
LeBron and Curry starting won’t surprise anyone, as they are the two biggest names on the roster by far and are still high-production players. Curry put up 24 points in a team-high scoring performance against Serbia, while LeBron has been the perfect connector on the court, playing his role and ensuring all his teammates are comfortable on offense.
The problem comes with Joel Embiid, who had his third consecutive game filled with struggles. Embiid scored eight points in the USA’s win over Serbia, going 2-8 from the field while racking up two careless turnovers. He was once again outplayed by bench bigs Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo, prompting fans to continue questioning why he’s still a starter.
Kerr has essentially confirmed that the team doesn’t intend to move Embiid out of their starting lineup regardless of the situation. This might seem counterintuitive to fans who have seen Embiid be their third-best big so far in their Olympic campaign, as the bench duo of Davis and Adebayo has been phenomenal.
Adebayo had 17 points and eight rebounds last night also shooting 3-5 from three, while Davis had seven points, six rebounds, and six blocks.
The USA might be better off continuing to run AD and Bam play together off the bench instead of messing with the rotations now. Embiid has struggled, but he’s still a big body who is a high-volume rebounder. Any deficiency he has during a stint on the court, Davis and Adebayo come in and make it irrelevant. You can’t disturb the chemistry Bam and AD have built together, and it seems impossible to work both of them into the starting lineup at this point.
Kerr’s decision has made fans upset, but it might be worth it if Embiid can replicate his NBA form. He averaged 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists in 39 games before injuries derailed his season, showing that once he finds his rhythm, he could be the most impactful player on the entire team.
Fans, coaches, teammates, and Embiid himself will definitely hope that’s what happens as the team remains motivated to bring a Gold medal home.
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