Critical takeaways from the United States' victory over Serbia, with South Sudan looming

The United States will look to keep the momentum going in the second game of the group stage against South Sudan. The Americans are 1-0 after an impressive win against Serbia, where they learned a lot about themselves and their rotation.

We’ll highlight the most important aspects of their statement victory against Serbia, which was a 110-84 rout.

CBS Sports wrote about Team USA’s desire to put the ball in LeBron James’ hands to initiate the offense during the Olympics, and that came to fruition against Serbia. He served as the primary decision maker all afternoon, dishing out nine assists to go along with 21 points and seven rebounds.

Despite their emphatic victory, the United States got off to a slow start in their first game. It was not a pretty performance for Joel Embiid, who struggled to find his rhythm on both ends of the floor. Serbian star and NBA champion Nikola Jokic routinely spun off of Embiid in the post, who had few answers and only played 11 minutes.

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On the other side of the coin, U.S head coach Steve Kerr opted to play Anthony Davis 19 minutes at center to relieve a struggling Embiid. The game seemed to change in the first quarter after that substitution, as the Americans looked more versatile and athletic on defense. Bleacher Report wrote that both Embiid and Davis battled illness leading up to the first game.

Nikola Jokic put up statistics that are very familiar to NBA fans. He scored 20 points, dished out eight assists, grabbed five rebounds, and even logged four steals. The former NBA MVP did his best to keep Serbia in the game, but the United States did a great job of keeping other Serbian NBA players like Bogdan Bogdanovic in check all afternoon.

While there were many impressive performances on Sunday, perhaps none was more eye-opening than Kevin Durant’s. He came off the bench to score 21 points in the first half, going a perfect 8-8 from the field. Complex’s website called the offensive deluge an epic performance from the future Hall of Famer.

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There was a point in the third quarter that made United States fans hold their breath. Stephen Curry was seen hobbling after a play, as he actively tried to walk off his ailment. According to USA Today, it appeared as if he banged knees with a Serbian player. Curry remained in the game, and it does not appear to be something that would linger into the next contest against South Sudan.

As has been widely discussed, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton did not see the floor at all against Serbia. In a 40-minute Olympic contest, it will be difficult for head coach Steve Kerr to get everyone into the game. However, Kerr did come out after the game to express regret about not finding a way to play Tatum.

With Durant somewhat compromised due to injury before the game, it was curious to see who the United States would start alongside James, Curry, Embiid and Jrue Holiday. The answer was Devin Booker, and that decision was instantly rewarded. On3’s website spotlighted legendary basketball coach Dawn Staley’s comments, as she called Booker the “unsung hero”.

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The United States heads into the second game of the Olympics with momentum, but will face a talented South Sudan squad. The United States nearly lost to South Sudan in an exhibition game earlier this month, and it’ll be interesting to see how their approach changes in a game that matters.