Staff USA is again in motion Monday because the People proceed their pre-Olympics tune-ups with an exhibition matchup towards Australia. Staff USA took down Canada in an exhibition recreation in Las Vegas final week earlier than touring to Aub Dhabi. LeBron James, Stephen Curry and firm will face Australia and Serbia in Abu Dhabi earlier than taking part in two extra exhibitions in London.
They open the Olympics towards Serbia on July 28. Here is the complete schedule.
And beneath is all the data for Monday’s conflict with Australia. The Aussies have a roster with loads of NBA expertise, together with Patty Mills, Dante Exum, Josh Giddey, Duop Reath and Jock Landale. Australia picked up its first-ever Olympic medal three years in the past, selecting up Bronze on the Tokyo Video games.
Staff USA basketball vs. Australia
Time: 12 p.m. ET | Date: Monday, July 15
Location: Etihad Area — Abu Dhabi, UAE
TV channel: FS1 | Stay stream: fubo (attempt without cost)
Odds: USA -19.5 | O/U: 188.5
Kevin Durant is anticipated to overlook Staff USA’s recreation on Monday. Durant has been coping with a calf pressure, and he missed yet one more apply on Saturday. Nonetheless, USA coach Steve Kerr shouldn’t be frightened about Durant’s standing for the precise match, which begins in late July.
“I do know there’s nonetheless a few weeks earlier than we’ve to decide roster-wise,” Kerr stated. “So we’re simply taking it day-to-day.” Whereas Derrick White has changed the injured Kawhi Leonard for Staff USA, Kerr has to this point signaled that he expects Durant to be accessible when the video games depend and that the workforce shouldn’t be but planning for a substitute.
“It isn’t one thing we have even mentioned at this level as a result of we really feel good that [Durant] goes to be OK,” Kerr stated.
If Staff USA does want to interchange Durant earlier than the match begins, an apparent candidate can be Boston Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, who publicly grumbled about lacking out when Staff USA named Celtics teammate Derrick White to the roster as a substitute of him. White shares a place with Leonard and Durant, and White, a small guard, doesn’t replicate both of their talent units.
Nevertheless, if Brown’s cryptic social media feedback have turned Staff USA off, there are nonetheless a number of viable choices to interchange Durant if they should. Staff USA named a 41-player pool of choices earlier than whittling the roster right down to 12. Of these 41 gamers, 27 stay in the event you exclude all presently rostered gamers, Leonard, White and Brown: Jarrett Allen, Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane, Scottie Barnes, Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Jimmy Butler, Alex Caruso, De’Aaron Fox, Paul George, Aaron Gordon, James Harden, Josh Hart, Tyler Herro, Chet Holmgren, Brandon Ingram, Kyrie Irving, Jaren Jackson Jr., Cam Johnson, Walker Kessler, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, Chris Paul, Bobby Portis, Austin Reaves, Duncan Robinson and Trae Younger.
For now, although, Staff USA’s hope is clearly to get Durant again on the ground. Along with being an NBA star, Durant is Staff USA’s all-time main scorer in Olympic play with 435 factors. He has received three gold medals and is taking part in for his fourth, and he has by no means missed an Olympics since making the workforce for the primary time in 2012. He has turn out to be the mainstay of USA Basketball, and it will take a big well being subject to maintain him off of the roster.