When Team USA faces France in the Paris Olympics gold medal game on Saturday, expect a big change in the starting lineup. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the U.S. will start Kevin Durant, moving Jrue Holiday to the bench.
Team USA is planning to start all-time leading scorer Kevin Durant vs. France in Saturday’s Gold Medal game at the Paris Olympics, per sources. Jrue Holiday is expected to come off the USA bench. pic.twitter.com/UrYgyhyTUY
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 9, 2024
This is the first game he’ll have started in Lille. The 35-year-old is averaging 14.8 points and 1.3 steals per game in these Olympic Games, with sizzling .600-.625-.929 shooting splits.
Team USA Changing Starters Against France In Gold Medal Game
Notably, USA Basketball head coach Steve Kerr revealed earlier this week that Durant was projected to start entering training camp.
“If Kevin had been here from Day 1, chances are he’d be starting,” head coach Steve Kerr told reporters Sunday. “That was the plan coming in. But given that he missed all of our friendlies and came in late, we had kind of established a lineup that we liked. When we brought him back, he was only going to play a certain amount of minutes against Serbia. And he played so well and he fit so well with that group, and it was devastating to see that group together.“
However, a calf injury sidetracked him, leading to Kerr starting either Holiday or Devin Booker.
Considering that both Booker and Durant are offensive-minded players and premier shooters, his Phoenix Suns teammate may have taken the future Hall of Famers original spot. However, Booker has played well in the first unit, particularly defensively. Furthermore, as Team USA worked on their chemistry, Kerr was utilizing platoon swaps. This led to what were essentially two different five-man lineups that could close halves.
All of that is to say, while Kerr has come under fire for his rotations, there was some logic to several of his decisions.
Jayson Tatum Returns?
By replacing Holiday with Durant, the onus has been placed on Booker to slow down France’s Isaia Cordinier. It also raises the question of what players will come off the bench. Assuming Holiday remains in the rotation, he’ll be joined by Anthony Edwards, Anthony Davis, and Bam Adebayo. This could lead to Jayson Tatum re-entering the rotation, as his combination of physical tools and skills can help him play in the role Durant held in the second unit.
