USA vs South Sudan | Men's basketball group stage | Paris 2024 highlights

31 Jul 2024 ScoreWaves Staff view

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Day 5 of the 2024 Paris Olympics has a lot on offer. However, USA’s match up against South Sudan in Men’s Basketball tournament will surely hog most of the spotlight.

USA Men’s National basketball team are massive favorites to win the gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Following a dismal 2023 FIBA World Cup campaign in which USA finished fourth, NBA star LeBron James recruited multiple superstars for the 2024 Olympics. King James was successful in his quest, as he convinced superstars like Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum and many more to represent the USA at the Olympics.

This conglomeration of superstars reminds many basketball fans of the 1992 Dream Team and 2008 Redeem Team. And so far, this star-studded Team USA has delivered on pre-Olympics promise.

USA – Odds-On Favorites for Olympic Glory

The US Men’s National basketball team is expected to win the gold at every tournament they participate in, and the 2024 Paris Olympics are no different. This expectation is backed by their impressive track record, having secured Olympic gold in the past four Olympics, dating back to 2008 Beijing Olympics.

USA started their Olympic campaign with a comprehensive 110-84 win over Nikola Jokic-led Serbia. USA made a statement, as they dominated fellow medal contender from start to finish. 39-year-old LeBron James played a star turn, as he defied his age to record 21 points, 7 rebounds and 9 assists in 27 minutes of playing time. Celtics star Jrue Holiday also made a vital contribution by scoring 15 points in 24 minutes of playing time.

However, it was Kevin Durant who stole the spotlight. The 35-year-old superstar came off the bench to record a game-high 23 points. USA’s victory over Serbia firmly puts them in the driving seat. However, games against South Sudan and Puerto Rico won’t be a calk walk. They face South Sudan in the second round of the group stage matches.

Team USA weary of South Sudan’s High-Octane Offense

This year marks South Sudan's first-ever appearance at the Olympics. However, don’t let South Sudan’s inexperience fool you. They are a force to reckon with, and the USA knows that very well. In a recent pre-Olympics' exhibition game, Team USA narrowly defeated South Sudan with a score of 101-100. The victory was sealed by a clutch game-winner from LeBron James with just 10 seconds remaining.

After the game, Team USA head coach Steve Kerr expressed his thoughts in a post-match interview. He said, “They came within one shot of beating us. I'm really glad that we played them so we can feel their speed and their 3-point shooting ability and feel how good they are.”

South Sudan’s fast-paced style of play has given multiple opponents troubles. They pretty much have five 3-point shooters on the court. This style has served them well at the Olympics, as they overcame Puerto Rico by a scoreline of 90-79 in their maiden Olympics game. Even Stephen Curry acknowledged South Sudan’s quality in a recent interview. He said, “They're a very high-octane offense, spread the floor, shoot a lot of 3s and have athleticism. So, you just got to be mindful of how to guard them. It's totally different than Serbia.”

With a place in the knockout rounds on the line, both USA and South Sudan will field their best five. This bodes well for basketball fans, as two quality sides will go hammer and tongs for a crucial win.