Team USA are hoping to have everyone fit for Sunday's Olympic basketball opener versus Serbia, despite doubts over Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant. (Full Olympics Coverage | More Sports News)
Embiid anꦆd Davis have both been suffering from illness in 💃recent days while Durant – Team USA's all-time record points scorer at the Olympics – missed their five warm-up games with a calf injury.
As the United꧑ States prepare to take on NBA MVP Nikola Jokic in their opening Group C 🌳game, coach Steve Kerr will give his stars every chance to prove their fitness.
"I'm confident we'll have everybod🀅y ready," Kerr said on Saturday.
Asked specifically about Durℱant's condition, Kerr added: "Hopefully he'll play.
"He came through the scrimm✤age two days ago pretty well,🔯 and we'll have another practice today and just keep taking it day by day."
The USA did beat Serbia 105-79 in an exhibition game in Abu Dhabi earlier this month, also overcoming Jokic and🍃 company in the gold medal match at Rio 2016.
The Denver Nuggets star aver🐓aged 26.4 points through 79 regular season games in 2023-24, only managing more in his second MVP campaign in 2021-22 (27.1).
Los Angeles Lak♈ers forward Davis is wary of the threat h๊e will pose to the USA's chances of starting with a win, as they target a fifth straight gold in the men's basketball competition.
"Jokic, with what he's able to do, obviously we know what he does in the NBA, but maybe he'll get a little bit higher usage in the 🌠international game," Davis said. "It's going to be fun."
The NBA's all-time leading scorer LeBron James, who helped his country win gold at Beijing 2008 and London 2012,🌠💛 is aware a fast start to their campaign could make all the difference.
"This is not like the NBA, where it's a maratho🎃n," James said. "This is a 🎃sprint.
"This is a Michael Johnson or Usain Bol﷽t-type game. The real thing starts tomorrow, so we need to be ready🎀 to go, which we will be."
