Report: Kevin Durant to start for Team USA in final

Field Level Media|published: Sat 10th August, 01:27 2024

Aug 8, 2024; Paris, France; United States guard LeBron James (6) celebrates with guard Kevin Durant (7) during the first half in a men's basketball semifinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

When Team USA faces France in the men's basketball gold-medal game on Saturday, Kevin Durant will make his first start in the Paris Olympics, The Athletic reported on Friday night.

Durant, the all-time leading scorer for Team USA, is looking to become the first American man to win four gold medals in basketball as Team USA seeks its fifth straight Olympic title.

Per the report, Jrue Holiday is expected to play a reserve role after starting the last two games.

In Team USA's 95-91 comeback win in the semifinals against Serbia on Thursday, the 35-year-old Durant played 24 minutes and scored seven of his nine points during the team's fourth-quarter rally.

Durant passed Lisa Leslie in the quarterfinal win over Brazil on Tuesday for the most points by any Team USA player and enters Saturday with 503 points.

A 14-time All-Star, Durant is averaging 20.5 minutes, 13.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in five games in this tournament.

Meanwhile, Holiday has averaged 8.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 18.9 minutes. The two-time All-Star and three-time member of the All-Defensive First Team didn't play in the group-stage game against Puerto Rico, a 21-point Team USA win.

--Field Level Media

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