After 1992 and 2008, the Dream Team 3.0 was presented in Paris yesterday. A dream team that aims to emulate its predecessors, made up of a handful of basketball legends like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry, alongside rising stars like Anthony Edwards and Jason Tatum. Their goal is not just to win, but to dominate and be remembered in history as a truly special team. And in their debut against Serbia, they did not disappoint, thanks primarily to the leadership of LeBron James (21 points and 9 assists) and Kevin Durant (23 points).
The American team was surprised at the start of the game by Serbia’s greater aggressiveness, which gained an early lead of 10-2. But soon, the offensive talent of Steve Kerr’s squad shone through, quickly turning the game around with three-pointers. Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards, and Kevin Durant scored from beyond the arc in the first quarter, while LeBron James contributed with his usual drives, ending the first quarter at 20-25.
Jokic, NBA MVP, was the main opposition to the Dream Team
Serbia managed to stay in the game as best they could against the American scoring spree, with Jokic, the NBA MVP, directing the plays and Pesic, an experienced coach, on the bench. The defensive lapses of the Americans allowed Serbia to remain competitive for many minutes, but with every burst from Kerr’s team, the lead grew. James, Curry, and especially Kevin Durant (21 points and 5 of 5 from three-point range in just 8 minutes of play) pulled ahead by halftime (49-58).
In the third quarter, the game broke wide open after several spectacular plays by LeBron James, the spiritual leader of this team. The lead continued to grow, and by the start of the final quarter, it had swelled to 19 points (65-84). And it remained that way until the end, where this Dream Team secured a resounding victory against a commendable Serbia (84-110).
LeBron James proved to be the spiritual leader of this team
South Sudan will be the next opponent this Wednesday (at 21:00) for an exceptional team whose potential is yet to be discovered in these Games.