Led by the superstar duo of Kevin Durant and LeBron James, Team USA goes for a 2-0 start as it faces off with upset-minded South Sudan in the 2024 Paris Olympics

MANILA, Philippines – After a dominant 26-point rout of Serbia in its 2024 Paris Olympics men’s basketball opener, the superstar-studded Team USA aims to avoid the upset ax when it battles South Sudan in a highly anticipated Group C encounter on Wednesday, July 31 (Thursday, August 1, Manila time). 

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Third quarter

• USA 60-46: Carlik Jones converts on a layup, Bul Kuol adds another one from beyond the arc
• USA 60-41: Bul Kuol and Devin Booker trade long bombs
• USA 57-38: Marial Shayok sinks two free throws
• USA 57-36: Jayson Tatum scores off an alley-oop slam

Second quarter

• HALFTIME: USA keeps its double-digit distance from South Sudan with a 55-36 lead
• USA 55-36: Bam Adebayo scores off a putback slam
• USA 53-36: Nuni Omot completes an and-one play
• USA 53-33: Bam Adebayo drills his second three-pointer
• USA 50-33: Carlik Jones slices the defense and scores off a crafty layup
• USA 50-31: Bam Adebayo joins USA’s three-ball party
• USA 47-31: Steph Curry swishes a technical free throw
• USA 46-31: Bul Kuol lights it up from long range
• USA 46-28: Carlik Jones lays it in, Tyrese Haliburton answers with another long bomb
• USA 43-26: Tyrese Haliburton and Nuni Omot exchange treys
• USA 40-23: Bul Kuol pulls up for a mid-range hit
• USA 40-21: Nuni Omot and Anthony Davis trade buckets
• USA 38-19: LeBron James sinks two foul shots
• USA 36-19: Nuni Omot spins and hits the tough jumper
• USA 36-17: Peter Jok and Derrick White exchange treys
• USA 33-14: Bam Adebayo with another easy finish off a feed by Anthony Edwards
• USA 31-14: Anthony Edwards sets up Bam Adebayo for a two-handed slam, Kevin Durant adds from three-point land

First quarter

• END OF 1Q: USA builds an early double-digit separation over South Sudan, 26-14
• USA 26-14: Bam Adebayo adds two more inside
• USA 24-14: Derrick White extends USA’s lead to double-digits with a long bomb
• USA 21-14: Marial Shayok with a much-needed basket for South Sudan
• USA 21-12: Kevin Durant sinks two foul shots off an unsportsmanlike foul
• USA 19-12: Anthony Edwards takes it strong inside for a layup
• USA 17-12: Derrick White goes 1/2 from the stripe
• USA 16-12: Peter Jok cleans up the miss
• USA 16-10: Kevin Durant gets fouled from long distance, he hits all free throws
• USA 13-10: Kevin Durant splits from the line
• USA 12-10: Jrue Holiday stops and pops for a mid-range jumper
• 10-10: LeBron James swishes a tough fadeaway
• SOUTH SUDAN 10-8: LeBron James soars high for a throwdown, Marial Shayok answers with a trey
• SOUTH SUDAN 7-6: 7-0 run for South Sudan as Marial Shayok converts on a layup
• USA 6-5: Nuni Omot fires and hits from beyond the arc
• USA 6-2: Bul Kuol puts South Sudan on the board with a dunk
• USA 6-0: LeBron James and Anthony Davis with back-to-back baskets
• USA 2-0: LeBron James opens the scoring with a layup, plus the foul

Starting lineups

• USA: Steph Curry, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, Anthony Davis
• SOUTH SUDAN: Carlik Jones, Marial Shayok, Bul Kuol, Nuni Omot, Wenyen Gabriel

Preview

Prior to the start of the Olympics, USA and South Sudan already faced off in a nail-biting exhibition affair, where the heavily favored Americans survived the feisty South Sudanese by the skin of their teeth with a 101-100 come-from-behind escape.

In that game, USA captain LeBron James saved the day for the Americans as he delivered the game-winning layup with only 8 seconds to play. 

With James’ co-star Kevin Durant now back in the fold after missing all their exhibition matches due to a calf injury, expect a whole different ball game from the Americans this time around as they look to punch their ticket to the quarterfinals.

It was Durant who shone the brightest for the mighty Americans in their opening win versus Serbia last Sunday, July 28, as the three-time Olympic gold medalist went off for a game-high 23 points on a near-perfect 8-of-9 shooting. 

The 35-year-old Durant showed no signs of rust in his return, scattering 21 of his 23 points in just the first two quarters on a spotless 8-of-8 field goal clip. 

James, likewise, came to play for USA, posting all-around numbers of 21 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists in his first Olympic appearance since the 2012 London Games.

Similar to USA, South Sudan emerged triumphant in their Group C opener on Sunday as it stunned Puerto Rico, 90-79.

It was a historic win for the South Sudanese as it marked their first-ever victory in the men’s basketball Olympics. 

Pitted against a powerhouse USA squad filled with NBA superstars, look for former NBA two-way guard Carlik Jones to lead the charge for South Sudan as they look to pull off one of the biggest upsets in Olympic history.

Jones dropped a triple-double of 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists against the Americans in their exhibition match, before sizzling for 19 markers, 7 boards, and 6 dimes versus the Puerto Ricans in their Olympic debut. 

Game time is 3 am, Manila time. – Rappler.com