Team USA has decided on three of its starters for Paris: it is

Steve Kerr part of the difficult task of deciding the starting quintet for Paris has already been done here Team USA overflowing with stars, some of them legendary.

According to the American coach, and the statements collected by ESPN, LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Joel Embiid They will not move from the starting lineup. In fact, it was predictable, as they were the only three players to repeat in three games – and victories – against Canada, Australia and Serbia.

As it stands, Team USA only has two names left to decide.

Judging by what was seen in these first three meetings, Jrue Holiday and Jayson Tatum They are the candidates to retain the two remaining seats. The Boston Celtics point guard started with a victory against the Canadian team he coaches Jordi Fernandez (86-72) and in the review of the Americans yesterday against Serbia (105-79) and his teammate Tatum in the victory over Australia (98-92) and against the Balkan team. Devin Booker and Anthony Edwards They enjoyed joint ownership.

The starting quintets so far

USA

1

vs Canada (86-72): LeBron, Curry, Embiid, Booker and Holiday

2

vs Australia (98-92): LeBron, Curry, Embiid, Edwards and Tatum

3

vs Serbia (105-79): LeBron, Curry, Embiid, Holiday and Tatum

The great unknown is Kevin Durant, who under normal conditions would be a good contender to occupy another of the positions. However, the star of Phoenix Suns He hasn’t played a single minute and hasn’t practiced normally with the rest of his teammates. Team USA isn’t causing concern, but its situation is increasingly hanging by a thread.

That’s the truth Joel Embiid Having a guaranteed place in the starting eleven will not cease to shock, because the center of the Sixers subtracted more than added to the overall calculation. The Cameroonian is improving, but his little dynamism in defense compared to Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo -slower and more versatile-, is a problem for the United States. On top of that, Nikola Jokic surpassed him yesterday when both MVPs faced each other.

Embiid slows down the attacking game from the post and in fact, Team USA barely uses this type of play on him. However, the center of Philadelphia He gave up his best numbers so far despite his 2/8 shooting from the field with 10 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists but 2 losses. Stephen Curry benefited from his screens and Kerr said he likes how the African fits in next to the Warriors star and LeBron James. It should be remembered that Embiid is adjusting to FIBA ​​play, having been ejected for fouls against Canada after just 12 minutes.

The benefit of owning the 2023 MVP can also be seen in the effervescent effect that Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis provide as a ‘5’ pair from the second unit. Able to change everything in the blocks, the United States accelerated yesterday in two center matches Serbia, held back by the over-defensiveness of the American team’s changes. Team USA showed that, at maximum intensity, that suffocating defense makes it difficult for the opponent to think and read the possible mismatches that develop.

The goodness of Stephen Curry This gives Steve Kerr a lot of flexibility in his decision on the two remaining starters. Whether you’re a point guard or Jrue Holiday as a player with more dimensions like Jayson Tatum Curry is a natural fit, capable of assuming the role of directing and/or transitioning without the ball and looking for three-pointers coming off screens. The best shooter in history scored 24 points and was 6/9 from the perimeter against Serbia.

Something similar happens to LeBron Jameswhich will make a difference if it assumes more balls or less. The kingthe initiator of this integration rework of Dream Teamhas brought passion to Team USA while being unstoppable from the post and penetrating secondary actions, impossible to contain when opposing defenses are more open with his explosive combination of size and power also at 39 and a half years old.

The leading scorer in NBA history averaged 9.3 points. The awesome Team USA, just around the corner its final form.